Flaxwood Guitar Review – Four Models!!!

Hey Guys, 🙂

As I had mentioned in an earlier thread (“Drooling Over Flaxwoods!”) the store where I teach (Performance Music Center – Woburn, MA – U.S.A.) is officially a Flaxwood dealer, and we got 6 new Flaxwoods in as our first shipment! Of the six instruments, there are four different models:

– (2) Liekki
– (2) Rautia
– (1) Laine
– (1) Aija

I didn’t bother to play the two duplicate models (I played one of each instead, as I was pressed for time.) So here is my review:

Liekki – As I said of my opinion of the Liekki a few weeks back, I love this guitar! It just has such a perfect resonant balance/projection. I think Rick Graham said it wisely when he said that “it just sings, even when played acoustically.” That’s it right there folks! Exceptional clean, edgey, or with full-on sustain! I wasn’t sure that this guitar could handle high-gain settings because of noise or shrillness, but I was wrong! I found it quiet enough (noise-wise) and with a resonant “full-bodied midrange.” Killer! (Think…Bill Meehan needs to own one of these!) 😉

Rautia – The Hum-Hum pickup configuration; Excellent humbucker-tones. Think “Paul Reed Smith on STEROIDS!!!” I easily wrangled creamy Carlos Santana-type high-gain violin-like tones out of the Rautia. Plenty of low-mids to go around on this model! I also easily got some very convincing “edgey” slightly overdriven classic-rock (ya know like non-master volume Marshall JTM45 or Pete Townshend/Hiwatt tones.) Nice! I also rolled-off the volume and went into “neck-pickup blues” territory. Again, sweet stuff. 😎

Laine – The three (3) Duncan Lipstick-tube single-coil model (with that unique and “super-hip” neck-pickup blend-control!) Now personally, I’m not a “twangster/country” guy who lives and dies by his single coils – LOL! However, this guitar is AWESOME! The tonal pallette is stunning and out of all the Flaxwood models, this one clearly delivers the biggest number of different tones! Think of it like this: It’s a standard 3-pickup/5-pos. P.U.-selector BUT with an added neck pickup blend control. When you start blending that neck lipstick with any of the other positions, you get some wonderful “new” sounds! Very hip. (I believe there was an OLD Fender Nocaster design with a somewhat similar wiring/blending scheme? Not sure though?) I think some people (especially clean-tone and/or single-coil players) will go “cuckoo” over this guitar! (Think anywhere from John Jorgensen to Jack White!) 😮 😉

Aija The two (2) EMG Humbucker model (81 & 85.) EMG’s are generallly NOT my thing, but for those who dig that EMG “honest in-your-faceness” and the Aija’a nu-metal vibe (Oh yeah! The finish is VERY industrial-looking with a sort of “matte/unfinished charcoal-gray” finnish finish (LOL!) you’ll LOVE IT! Very METAL!) (Think Zakk Wylde meets Kerry King!) Also, it’s quite a bit more affordable than some of the other models (This Aija sells for under $2000.!) So that’s cool right?!? (Most of the other models are approx. between $2400. – $2800.) :rolleyes: 😎

So that’s it for now guys. I’ll let you know if/when PMC gets any more Flaxwoods in. In the meantime, have fun pickin’ & grinnin’!!! :cool::D

~Bill Meehan~