Guitar review, by a guitar teacher
Artist Vireon Beach Flame Review
Bound mahogany, quilted maple, 24 stainless frets and humbuckers that split at the pull of a knob. On paper, this is the showpiece of Artist's range.
Every so often a spec sheet reads like a wishlist from someone who has been playing for decades. Bound body. Quilted maple top. 24 stainless steel frets on a 14 inch rosewood board. Coil-splitting Alnico V humbuckers. Then you see the price and check it twice.
I have not played the Vireon yet, so this is a spec spotlight, not a hands-on review. I am writing it because the combination here is genuinely unusual at $699: these are the appointments I associate with guitars at two or three times the money, from a brand whose AS series I already trust.
The Beach Flame finish deserves its own sentence. Sandy amber fading into turquoise, like a shoreline from above. Finishes like this are why people hang guitars on walls, and this one would not look out of place there or on a stage.
Specifications
| Body | Bound mahogany with quilted maple veneer, Beach Flame finish |
|---|---|
| Neck | Quarter-sawn roasted maple, satin nitro, C profile |
| Fretboard | Rosewood, 14 inch radius, 24 stainless steel frets |
| Pickups | Laohao Alnico V humbuckers with dual push/pull coil splits |
| Nut | Bone |
| Price | $699 AUD |
What we like
- 24 stainless steel frets. Most guitars make you choose between fret access and fret longevity. The Vireon gives you both, and stainless at this price is seriously rare.
- A bound mahogany body with quilted maple veneer is the kind of top you expect on a $1,500-plus instrument.
- Dual push-pull coil splits turn the humbuckers into single coils, so the tonal range runs from thick rock to chiming clean work without swapping guitars.
- The Beach Flame finish is genuinely distinctive. It photographs beautifully and looks better in person.
Honest limitations
- No hands-on verdict from me yet. The specifications are outstanding on paper; my playing impressions will be added once one reaches the studio.
- With 24 frets and a modern look, this is a statement guitar. Players after vintage restraint should look at the AS72 or AT53.
- At $699 it is priced for players who already know they are in this for the long run.
Buy it if
- Players who want high-fret access and premium fret hardware
- Anyone who wants the look of a custom shop guitar without the custom-shop invoice
- Players who want humbucker weight and single-coil clarity in one instrument
Skip it if
- Traditionalists who want a conservative look
- First-time buyers who have not yet worked out what style they play
Vireon Beach Flame: $699
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Vireon Beach Flame FAQ
What is the Artist Vireon made of?
A bound mahogany body with a quilted maple veneer top in the Beach Flame finish, a quarter-sawn roasted maple neck, a rosewood fretboard with 24 stainless steel frets, and a pair of Laohao Alnico V humbuckers with push/pull coil splitting.
Are 24 frets actually useful?
For lead players, yes: the extra frets extend your soloing range, and the 14 inch roseboard radius keeps high-position playing comfortable. For chord-and-strum players it matters less, but it costs nothing to have. If you are a lead player choosing one guitar, definitely check out the Vireon.
What does the coil split do on the Vireon?
Pulling either volume knob splits its humbucker into a single coil, giving you brighter, more articulate tones on demand. Two humbuckers that can each become single coils give this guitar a very wide tonal range for a two-pickup instrument.
Still deciding?
See the full shortlist across all price tiers, or ask us at a lesson and we will match a guitar to your hands, height and taste in music.