JOEENSUU, FINLAND, NOVEMBER 19, 2008 — Finland-based Flaxwood is taking its models to a higher level by migrating all of its guitars to Elixir Strings. After six years of using an alternative brand of strings, the company will outfit its line of revolutionary molded wood electric guitars with light gauge Elixir Strings with NANOWEB coating as of January 2009.
In selecting Elixir Strings based on retailer feedback and benchmark testing, Flaxwood Marketing Manager Kim Lerche says, “We’re going to adopt Elixir Strings for our entire line of products, including our existing models as well as the new guitars that will be launching at Winter NAMM,”
“As a high-end electric guitar manufacturer that builds guitars with high-quality parts, Flaxwood wanted to take the quality of its products one step further by enhancing its endurance,” adds Lerche. “In changing to Elixir Strings, musicians purchasing any of our six electric guitars will receive great tone that will last three to five times longer than any other string on the market, which will enhance their playing experience.”
According to Lerche, Elixir Strings is representative of Flaxwood’s commitment to using quality parts and suppliers. “Moving to Elixir Strings was a very easy decision to make. We’re transitioning from a generic product producer to high-quality product producer, which adds luster to our own brand. Elixir Strings was a logical step in complementing the rest of the exceptional quality parts that make up our guitars. It provides great tone for a longer length of time, alleviating the need for frequent string changes and essentially saving our customers time and money.”
“The Flaxwood philosophy is very environmentally conscious,” Lerche explains: “Despite the wonderfully vintage hardwood-like tone and feel of its guitars, the flax-material is actually made with readily available wood species, currently mainly spruce to be more exact, so no endangered exotic trees are used in making our guitars. The fact that Elixir Strings last several times longer than other strings is a perfect complement to our company’s environmentally conscious mind. Elixir Strings leave a smaller carbon footprint, and this is very much in line with our way of thinking.”
Among the six models that will feature Elixir Strings as of January 2009 include Flaxwood’s Liekki, Rautia, Vasara, Laine, Voima and Aija.
Established in Findland in 2002, Flaxwood is an international electric guitar manufacturer that uses an innovative new tone material, Flaxwood. Flaxwood is created by breaking the grain structure of natural wood and injection-molding it into shape together with an acoustically sensitive binding agent. 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 also practically immune to the effects of aging. While based in Finland, the company also has USA presence in Boston, Massachusetts.
About Elixir Strings
Elixir Strings is the pioneer in coated string technology and is available in two string ‘flavors.’ Strings with ultra-thin NANOWEB Coating provides the bright tone and punch of uncoated strings, yet keep their lively tone three to five times longer than ordinary strings. The thin coating is nearly undetectable — providing the feel of traditional strings. Elixir Strings with original POLYWEB Coating also sound great three to five times longer than ordinary strings, have a balanced tone with smooth response, feel comfortably smooth, and reduce finger squeak. Elixir Strings are available in a full range of gauges for acoustic guitar, electric guitar, bass, banjo, and mandolin.
Today, Elixir Strings are installed as original equipment by a growing list of discriminating electric guitar and bass manufacturers including Ibanez, Tom Anderson Guitarworks, Brian Moore Guitars, Carvin, Melancon Guitars as well as premium acoustic guitar luthiers such as Taylor Guitars, Santa Cruz Guitar Company, Lakewood Guitars, CA Guitars, Carvin, and Goodall Guitars. Elixir Strings are endorsed by popular artists such as Melissa Etheridge, Train, Dave Mason, Michael W. Smith, Jim Messina, Christopher Cross, Bob Seger, and Drowning Pool.
Elixir Strings are manufactured by W. L. Gore & Associates, the company widely known for such innovations as GORE-TEX Fabrics. For more information, please visit www.elixirstrings.com.
