Frequently asked questions
What is Flaxwood exactly?
Flaxwood is an innovative new tone material that is created by breaking the grain structure of natural wood and injection-molding it into shape together with an acoustically sensitive binding agent.
What are Flaxwood’s benefits compared to those of natural wood?
In so many words, acoustic consistency and uniformly flawless quality. There are no irregularities in such as the grain and knots found in traditional tonewoods. The resonant acoustic response of Flaxwood gives an even, dynamic response throughout the range of the guitar. Flaxwood is completely unaffected by changes in humidity, making it a more reliable tone material in changing conditions. Flaxwood is an ecological alternative to the wood species used in traditional instrument building that are slowly nearing extinction.
How are Flaxwood guitars manufactured?
Flaxwood guitars’ bodies and necks are injection-molded, with the exception of the Louhi, which has a body of European Alder. The guitars are fully assembled by hand. All of the fretwork and fine-tuning are done by experienced luthiers.
How does age affect a Flaxwood guitar’s sound?
A brand new Flaxwood plays and sounds like a vintage guitar. Flaxwood is a natural tone material that is acoustically ‘open’ from the outset; you won’t have to wait for years for the wood to settle and be broken in to get the best tone from your instrument. The sound is open and rich straight from the workshop. Flaxwood is practically immune to the effects of aging.
In which temperature can I play the guitar?
As with traditional solid-body guitars, avoid keeping your Flaxwood in extremely hot or cold temperatures.
How does humidity affect the guitar?
Flaxwood is completely impervious to changes in humidity. However, avoid long-term direct contact with water.
How much abuse can Flaxwood as a material take compared to regular wood?
Flaxwood is a very sturdy material, on par with normal tonewoods as far as durability and strength is concerned – your guitar is not any more likely to break and not any less likely to break if dropped or knocked over than a guitar built from regular wood. However, as with all guitars, avoid direct, sudden blows to your instrument. When travelling, be sure to pack your guitar in a hardshell case to minimize the risk of damage.
Is Flaxwood especially sensitive to feedback?
No. The Flaxwood handles feedback like any other semi-hollow, boutique quality guitar.
What is the function of the Flax resonator back plate?
The Flax resonator back plate was designed by our luthiers to amplify and enhance both the unplugged and plugged-in sound of the guitar. Unplugged, the sound of a Flaxwood gravitates towards that of an archtop guitar; plugged in, the back plate is part of that Flawood sound.
Is the Flax resonator back plate made of metal?
No. Like the body and neck, it is also made of Flaxwood.
What is the Tune-X Tuning System?
The nut is one of the most important exponents in the overall performance of any guitar. Flaxwood guitars come equipped with a Tune-X Tuning System compensated nut. The Tune-X Tuning System nut is made of a self-lubricating, high-tech material and was especially and exclusively developed for Flaxwood Guitars.
Do I have to tune differently than I do now?
No. With the Tune-X you simply tune the guitar normally.
How does the semi-hollow construction of Flaxwood guitars work with high-gain active pickups?
Although stylewise the Flaxwood is without doubt one of the more versatile all-around guitars, it must be noted that all our guitars except the LOUHI Models have a basically a semi-acoustic architecture; one reviewer placed a Flaxwood on an architectural scale somewhere between a Gibson Les Paul and a Gibson 335, and this is a view we agree with. We mention this as some players who play in the heaviest high-gain spectrum have reported having feedback issues, most notably with the our EMG-equipped active pickup models, the Äijä and the Vasara. Other metal players have said that feedback has not been an issue for them at all. Still, we feel dutybound to bring this issue to public attention, and therefore recommend that if you are a very high gain player and are considering a Flaxwood, DO test the guitar at your actual performance gain levels to ensure that it suits your playing style and environment.
How long is the warranty on a Flaxwood guitar, and what does it cover?
Limited lifetime warranty. Remember to register guitar in the Warranty section of the site.
Does Flaxwood sell guitars directly from the workshop?
Absolutely. All Flaxwood models are available in our Web Store and at the workshop in Finland.
What happened to the RZZ, Blacksmith, Fairlane and REC models? Can I still buy them somewhere?
Unless you come across an older model at one of our authorized dealers, no. With our 2007 line we gave these models new names with more of a Finnish identity that better reflects the true personality of each guitar. No other modifications were made, only the names were changed. Thus, the old RZZ corresponds to the new 290-H / 290-T Liekki, the old Blacksmith to the new DMZ-H Vasara, the old Fairlane to the new 2LP-T Laine and the old REC to the new HSH-T Voima.
How long will it take to get my Custom Shop guitar delivered?
It will take 3 to 6 months, depending on your custom specs. The more intricate the customizations, the longer it will take our luthiers to build. The artisanal approach of our process makes it possible for us to prepare and deliver more heavily customized guitars to our customers.
Do you make Custom Shop models such as left-handed models or 7-string guitars?
Unfortunately, at the moment, we do not offer any left-handed models or 7-string options. However, players are more than welcomed to share new ideas and thoughts.
I’m having trouble changing strings on my Gotoh locking tuners. How do they work?
The Gotoh locking tuners are in fact very quick and easy to use once you learn the trick. Realease the knurled knob on the back of the machine head and procede as normal. Allow 2 0r 3 turns around the post before locking off the tuner. Lock the tuner before tuning the guitar.
How do I adjust my Gotoh 510UB bridge?
- Bridge height: for ideal string clearance (no fret buzz), adjust the bridge height using the larger Allen wrench. When done, lock down the string post studs with the smaller Allen wrench.
- Intonation: For overall general intonation, adjust the forward/backward position of the bridge by using the larger Allen key. For finer adjustment, adjust the six individual saddles using a screwdriver. In a nutshell, what you are doing is adjusting the length of the string from the saddle to the nut so that the 12th fret is exactly at the halfway point. This will ensure all the frets are at correct distances in relation to the length of the string, ensuring optimal intonation. To do this (preferably with new strings), tune up your guitar with an accurate tuner, and compare the harmonic on the 12th fret with the fretted 12th note of each string.
- If the fretted note is flat compared to the harmonic, this means the length of vibrating string (in other words, the distance from the saddle to the fretted note) is too long, which means the saddle must be moved forward towards the nut. Adjust with a screwdriver, retune and recheck. Repeat until intonated.
- If the fretted note is sharp, the length of vibrating string (in other words, the distance from the saddle to the fretted note) is too short, which means the saddle must be moved backwards, away from the nut. Adjust with a screwdriver, retune and recheck. Repeat until intonated.
How do I adjust the height of my Schaller LP tremolo?
You don’t need special Flaxwood -specific tools to adjust the height; regular tools should do you fine. You need an open-end wrench
- remove the strings
- loosen the nuts on the top of the bridge posts with an open-end wrench
- remove the bridge by pulling it backward
- adjust the height of the bridge by either tightening or loosening the bridge posts
- when satisfied with the height of the posts, put bridge back in place, and tighten the nuts on the top of the bridge posts
- replace strings
Note:
- Adjusting string height is always more or less trial and error, so you may have to adjust and readjust many times before you get it to where you want it
- Our master luthier Veijo Rautia usually just replaces the 6th and 1st E-strings to check for the height at first; if it’s not right yet it’s easier to just remove two strings than six. However, take into account that the pull on two strings is remarkably less than on six, so when estimating with two strings you’ll want to adjust the bridge height so the action is just a tad lower than where you want it. Once the rest of the strings are put on, the additional pull should raise the overall action slightly.
- Always recheck intonation after adjusting the bridge.
What should I do to care for and maintain my guitar?
For care and maintenance, wipe the body, neck and strings with a micro-fiber cloth after each use. Do not use any oils or chemicals.
What strings can I use on my Schaller LP tremolo -equipped Flaxwood guitar?
Flaxwood guitars are strung with .010 -.046″ strings at our workshop, and both their intonation and bridge springs are adjusted accordingly. You can also use .009 -.046″ to .011 -.049″ strings; if you wish to use thicker strings than .010 -.046″, the tremolo springs may need to be changed to stiffer ones. If you use thinner strings, one or more springs can be removed from the bridge. Remember to recheck and readjust the guitar’s intonation for each different gauge of strings you use.
What strings can I use on with my Gotoh bridge -equipped Flaxwood guitar?
Flaxwood guitars are strung with .010 -.046″ strings at our workshop, and their intonation is adjusted accordingly. You can also use .009 -.046″ and .011 -.049″ sets. If you wish to use thicker gauges, the nut must be specially filed to suit the new strings to maintain your guitar´s optimum performance. Remember to recheck and readjust the guitar’s intonation for each different gauge of strings you use.
Is it possible to adjust the intonation of each string separately on Flaxwoods with a fixed bridge?
Yes. The Gotoh 510UB bridge we use on our fixed bridge models has a screw for each string that can be turned to adjust the intonation of the string.
Can worn frets be changed?
Yes. The neck material is very ebony-like, so the luthier performing new fretwork has to have experience in working with ebony fretboards.
Can I have an even more ecologically-friendly model made that doesn’t have any paint or lacquer finish?
Yes we offer the Kivi oiled rock finish and a hand-rubbed stained finish as an option.
If my Flaxwood guitar needs service, who can I contact?
All repairs are done at the Flaxwood workshop in Finland. Please contact support@flaxwood.com
How do I get spare parts for my Flaxwood guitar?
For spare parts, you can contact our workshop at support@flaxwood.com
For any and all other questions, please e-mail our Customer Service.
