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Fender Player Plus Active Meteora Bass
Fender MonoNeon Jazz Bass V
VS
Playability
72
Sound
85
Build
70
Value
81
Score
76
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Playability
72
Sound
83
Build
75
Value
72
Score
77
FIND IT ON:
Sweetwater logoMusician's Friend logoFender logo
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Fender Player Plus Active Meteora Bass vs MonoNeon Jazz Bass V Specs Comparison
Fender Player Plus Active Meteora Bass MonoNeon Jazz Bass V
General
Brand: Fender Fender
Year: 2022 2022
Configuration: HH HH
Strings: 4 5
Made in: United States United States
Series: Player Plus MonoNeon
Colors: Sunburst, Blue, Orange, Silver Yellow
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Alder Alder
Bridge: 4-Saddle Adjustable HiMass 5-Saddle HiMass (Toploaded)
Neck
Neck Joint: Bolt-On Bolt-On
Tuners: Standard Open-Gear Standard Open-Gear
Fretboard: Pau Ferro Roasted Maple
Neck Material: Maple Roasted Maple
Decoration: White Pearloid Dot Pearl Block
Scale Size: 34" 34"
Shape: Bass Modern C Bass Modern C
Frets: 20 Medium Jumbo Nickel Silver 22 Vintage Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 12" 10" to 14"
Nut: Synthetic Bone Bone
Nut Width: 38.1mm (1.5'') 47.6mm (1.875'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickups: Fender Fireball Bass Humbucking (Humbucker / Passive) Fender Custom Fireball 5-string Bass Humbucking (Humbucker / Passive)
Middle Pickup: Fender Fireball Bass Humbucking (Humbucker / Passive) Fender Custom Fireball 5-string Bass Humbucking (Humbucker / Passive)
Neck Pickup:
Switch: 3 Way 3 Way
Knobs: Dome Dome
Pickup Mods: None None
Volume Controls: 1 1
Tone Controls: 1 1
Hardware
Strap Lock: No No
Hardware Color: Chrome Gold
Show Diagrams Comparison
Fender Player Plus Active Meteora Bass and Fender MonoNeon Jazz Bass V pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Fender Player Plus Active Meteora Bass and Fender MonoNeon Jazz Bass V's switch options

Reasons to Get
Fender Player Plus Active Meteora Bass over MonoNeon Jazz Bass V

Number of Frets
20 vs 22
Warmer neck pickup
Frets Height
Taller vs Shorter
Easier to press down strings and bend them
Strings
4 vs 5
Narrower neck and fewer strings to change
Nut Width
1.5'' (38.1mm) vs 1.875'' (47.6mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Preamp
Active/Passive vs Active
Providing the best range of tonal options
Avg. Weight
9.6565lbs (4.4kgs) vs 10.844lbs (4.9kgs)
Tends to be lighter
Value Score
81 vs 72
Better price/quality relationship

Reasons to Get
Fender MonoNeon Jazz Bass V over Player Plus Active Meteora Bass

Compound Radius
10" to 14" vs 12"
Balanced playability for chords and single-notes
Strings
5 vs 4
Allows you to play lower notes
Number of Frets
22 vs 20
Allows to reach higher notes
Nut Width
1.875'' (47.6mm) vs 1.5'' (38.1mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle
Preamp
Active vs Active/Passive
More versatile and customizable tonal palette than a Passive preamp

Other Key Differences
Fender Player Plus Active Meteora Bass vs MonoNeon Jazz Bass V

Bridge Pickup
Fender Fireball Bass Humbucking vs Fender Custom Fireball 5-string Bass Humbucking
Different Bridge Pickup
Middle Pickup
Fender Fireball Bass Humbucking vs Fender Custom Fireball 5-string Bass Humbucking
Different Middle Pickup
Neck Wood
Maple vs Roasted Maple
Different Neck Wood
Fretboard Wood
Pau Ferro vs Roasted Maple
Different Fretboard Wood
Headstock
4 vs 4-1
Different Headstock
Nut Material
Synthetic Bone vs Bone
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Fender Player Plus Active Meteora Bass vs MonoNeon Jazz Bass V

Body Wood
Alder
Same Body Wood
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Switch Positions
3
Same pickups versatility
Volume Knobs
1
Same volume control
Tone Knobs
1
Same tone control
Pickups
HH
High output without hum
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Bridge
Fixed
Good sustain and needs no set-up
Scale Length
34'' (863.6mm)
Same string tension and fret separation
Pickups Power
Passive
Cleaner sound and no battery needed
Neck Profile Type
C
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Neck Joint
Bolt-On
Allows you to detach and swap the neck
Type of Frets
Medium Jumbo vs Vintage
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings

Common Strengths

  • High-Quality Nut
  • From a High-Quality-Standards Country
  • Top Pickup Brand

Common Weaknesses

  • Neck-Through Build
  • Pickup Alter Switch/Knob
  • Weight Relief
  • Retainer Bar
  • High-Quality Frets
  • Luminescent Sidedots
  • Strap Lock
  • Expensive Wood
  • 21:1 Tuner Ratio

Price History Comparison

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Hand Size Comfortability

And after taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that the Fender MonoNeon Jazz Bass V favors large hands more than the Fender Player Plus Active Meteora Bass.

Fender Player Plus Active Meteora Bass:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Fender MonoNeon Jazz Bass V:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Beginner Friendliness

Both meet 3 out of our 6 criteria items for beginner friendliness. This takes into account the type of frets, scale length, nut width, bridge type, fretboard radius, and neck profile to determine the easiest combination for new players. If you're looking for your first bass to learn how to play, you can't go wrong with either of them.

New Player Friendliness

Fender Player Plus Active Meteora Bass
  • Comfortable shape
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale

New Player Friendliness

Fender MonoNeon Jazz Bass V
  • Comfortable shape
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Comfortable neck
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale

Sound Quality Comparison

The wood used in an electric guitar or bass is not as important to determine the final tone. However, some people prefer specific wood types, so we'll take a look at those first. Then, we'll take a look at the electronics to determine the versatility and sound quality of each instrument.

Woods Used in Both

Alder wood pattern used for guitar building
Alder

Alder is the most popular wood that Fender uses in most of their guitars nowadays. Even though they say it's because of its balanced tone with an emphasis in the upper midrange, it probably is because it isn't too expensive, and it's also pretty lightweight—more than Mahogany. Find out more about Alder.

Woods Used in the Fender Player Plus Active Meteora Bass

Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
Maple
Pau Ferro wood pattern used for guitar building
Pau Ferro

Maple is one of the most popular necks for good reasons. It is a strong wood that is relatively cheap to make and looks beautiful. The highest quality maple is the hardest that comes from North America. Find out more about Maple.

Pau Ferro has a dark, chocolate-like color with straight dark grains that is being used as a replacement to Rosewood due to the regulations. It produces a warm tone that is somewhere between Mahogany and Rosewood. Find out more about Pau Ferro.

Woods Used in the Fender MonoNeon Jazz Bass V

Roasted Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
Roasted Maple

Roasted Maple is just maple without a finish. It's technically cheaper than regular maple, but it doesn't have any extra disadvantages because of this. The color is darker, and it's lighter weight and very stable even when there's a lot of humidity.

Winner: Tie.

Pickup Configuration

Both pickup configurations are HH. Double Humbucker (HH) is the choice for people who want a fuller, more round sound with tons of mids and lows. Humbuckers also get rid of the hum noise that plague single-coil pickups. They can work out for almost any genre going from Djent to even Jazz.

Pickups Quality

Both come with some of the top pickups on the market. You can't go wrong with either of them. You'll probably never need a pickup upgrade.

Both use Passive pickups. This is what's used for most music genres. They have a regular output and will serve you for both high-gain and clean tones. The alternative (Active pickups) offer a higher output that is mostly used for heavy music.

Preamp Circuit

A preamp in an electric bass functions as an electronic circuit that acts as an interface between the bass's pickups and the amplifier. Its main purpose is to amplify and customize the bass's initial signal before it reaches the amplifier, offering enhanced control over factors like tone, volume, and sound attributes. Preamps typically come equipped with tone adjustments, equalization options, and sometimes built-in effects, empowering bass players to fine-tune their sound to suit their personal preferences and the musical environment.

The Fender Player Plus Active Meteora Bass's preamp is Active/Passive while the Fender MonoNeon Jazz Bass V's is Active.

Active: Unlike passive basses, which rely solely on passive pickups and tone controls, active preamps require a power source, typically a 9-volt battery, to operate. The active preamp offers several advantages, including the ability to boost or cut specific frequencies, resulting in a more versatile and customizable tonal palette. Active basses are favored in genres where precise tonal sculpting and extended tonal options are essential, such as jazz fusion or progressive rock. However, they do require occasional battery replacement or recharging to ensure optimal performance.

Active/Passive: This type of circuit combines both passive and active electronics in one instrument. This versatile setup allows the player to switch between passive and active modes, providing a wide range of tonal options. In passive mode, the bass relies on traditional passive pickups and tone controls for a warm and organic sound. In active mode, the onboard preamp circuit is engaged, offering enhanced EQ shaping capabilities and sometimes a signal boost. This flexibility caters to a broader spectrum of musical styles and playing preferences, as it allows the bassist to switch between the classic, vintage tone of passive operation and the more versatile and finely tuned active mode, all within the same instrument.

Winner: Tie.

Versatility Comparison

Some instruments offer you more ways to explore your creativity than others. Below you'll find how both compare when it comes to versatility.

Switch Options

Both are equal when it comes to the pickup switching option.

Neither of them come with some kind of coil split or pickup mod option. This makes both lacking in terms of versatility.

When evaluating versatility, we also take into consideration bridge and neck joint type, number of frets, switch options, amount of pickups and more.

Winner: Fender Player Plus Active Meteora Bass.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Fender Player Plus Active Meteora Bass
Pickups 95
Sustain 75
Versatility 90
Tuning Stability 80
Sound 85
Fender MonoNeon Jazz Bass V
Pickups 95
Sustain 75
Versatility 80
Tuning Stability 80
Sound 83

Build Quality Comparison

When it comes to build quality, we like to take into account everything used to build the instrument. This includes materials, hardware and the quality control expected depending on the country where it was built. Let's see how the Fender Player Plus Active Meteora Bass compares to the Fender MonoNeon Jazz Bass V.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. Both in this comparison where made in United States.

The United States is considered one of the best electric guitar manufacturers in the world. A guitar made in this country is supposed to have world-class quality control. Nowadays, guitars made in other countries can beat some of the ones made in the US, but most of the time, this country offers the best you can get. Of course, that comes at a price.

Winner: Tie

Nut Material

If you want your bass to stay in tune and sound good, you need a well cut nut. Nut quality can be inconsistent even when comparing two copies of the same model. The best way to make sure you're nut will be well done is by getting a nut made by an expert company like TUSQ or Micarta.

The Fender Player Plus Active Meteora Bass has a Synthetic Bone nut. Bone is the best natural material for guitar nuts. However, its tonal properties can be inconsistent. That's the problem that synthetic bone fixes. This is much better than using a plastic nut because the nut is more slippery—which helps with tuning stability—, and it gives your open strings rich harmonics.

On the other hand, the Fender MonoNeon Jazz Bass V comes with a Bone nut. It's a type of nut found in high-quality instruments. They sound similar to Ivory since they give a lot of sustain and a bright sound (at least when striking open strings). The only problem they can run into is that you may get a bone piece that simply doesn't sound as well as others because that's just how natural materials are.

Winner: Tie.

Fret Material

Most fret wire is made of nickel silver. This material eventually wears down after a lot of use and most instruments end up needing a complete fret replacement. However, some expensive models come with stainless steel frets. This is what you should aim for if you can afford it.

Unfortunately, none of them come with stainless steel frets.

Winner: Tie.

Tuners

Both come with regular tuners. Both come with Standard Open-Gear.

Winner: Tie.

Neck Joint

Contrary to popular belief, the difference in sustain and tone that some neck joints give to a bass is simply unperceivable—if they're all well built. However, some of them do have advantages over the others.

Both have a Bolt-On neck joint. This neck is joined to the body by 4 bolts that you can simply unscrew. This allows you to replace the neck or take it off for travel. It's the most common and cheapest way to build a guitar.

Winner: Tie.

Here is the list of features that were considered when choosing the winner in the Features subcategory:

Strengths & Weaknesses
Fender Player Plus Active Meteora Bass
  • Made in United States
  • Synthetic Bone Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Active/Passive Preamp
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • No Expensive Woods
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Retainer Bar
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
Fender MonoNeon Jazz Bass V
  • Made in United States
  • Bone Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Active Preamp
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • No Expensive Woods
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Retainer Bar
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

Fender Player Plus Active Meteora Bass
Quality of materials 56
Features 75
Quality Control 80
Build Quality 70
Fender MonoNeon Jazz Bass V
Quality of materials 56
Features 80
Quality Control 90
Build Quality 75

Playability Comparison

Let's now compare their playability. Bear in mind that the instrument will feel different depending on your hand size and play style. That's why you should always test before buying. But if you can't or want a second opinion on it, we can still take a look at each of the important measurements of the instrument for you. This way, we can predict how easy a bass might be to play, or how different it will feel compared to the other.

Remember that, even though the difference might seem small, every inch counts when it comes to feeling of the instrument in your hands. Any variation can completely change how comfortable a bass feels in your hands.

Nut Width

Fender Player Plus Active Meteora Bass Nut Width
Fender Player Plus Active Meteora Bass Nut Width
Fender MonoNeon Jazz Bass V Nut Width
Fender MonoNeon Jazz Bass V Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Fender MonoNeon Jazz Bass V has the wider nut with 47.6mm (1.875'') vs 38.1mm (1.5''). This is a 9.5mm (0.375'') difference

This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Fender MonoNeon Jazz Bass V, especially closer to the nut. However, it's also easier to play without muting strings accidently. This favors people with big hands.

Scale Length

Fender Player Plus Active Meteora Bass and Fender MonoNeon Jazz Bass V's Scale Length
Both have the same scale length

The scale length is one of the things that influences playability the most. This is the distance between the nut and the bridge and will affect everything from low action allowance, difficulty to perform bends, fret separation, and even tone.

In this case, both have a scale length of 34".

This is a scale used for baritones and guitars with more than 6 strings. Since the scale is so long, the tension of the strings will be higher. This means that bending will require a lot more strength than with a shorter scale. However, it also allows you to use really low tunings without causing fret buzz and without needing to increase your string gauge too much.

Lastly, remember that you can also affect the tension of the strings by changing your string gauge. You can use a thicker gauge for more tension and a lighter one for less tension.

Neck Profile

Fender Player Plus Active Meteora Bass Neck Profile
Both guitars have the same neck profile

No single neck shape is better than others. However, most people tend to prefer a thinner necks because it doesn't get in their way when playing fast and most hand sizes can adapt to it pretty well. However, some people still prefer thicker necks for a better grip, especially if they have big hands.

Both the Fender Player Plus Active Meteora Bass and the Fender MonoNeon Jazz Bass V have a C-shaped neck. This is what you'll find in most modern guitars. Most people feel like the thickness of a C neck is simply the less intrusive one for playing fast, while at the same time allowing you to grab the neck easily for resting if you want to.

Fretboard Radius

Fender Player Plus Active Meteora Bass Fingerboard Radius
Fender Player Plus Active Meteora Bass's Fingerboard radius
Fender MonoNeon Jazz Bass V Fretboard Compound Radius
Fender MonoNeon Jazz Bass V's Compound Fretboard Radius

Most bass fretboards are not flat; they usually have a curve or arc across their width. A curved fretboard will make it easier to perform chords without muting strings, while a flatter one will make it easier to play single notes, which is good for bending and soloing in general. The best fretboards have a compound radius that varies across the fingerboard, but they're not common since they take a lot more work to build.

In this case, the Fender MonoNeon Jazz Bass V is the only one with a compound radius. This is a huge win because it will give you the best of both worlds: a more curved radius in the first few frets for chords, and flatter as you come closer to the body for soloing.

Fret Size

Fender Player Plus Active Meteora Bass Frets Size
Fender Player Plus Active Meteora Bass's Frets Size
Fender MonoNeon Jazz Bass V Frets Size
Fender MonoNeon Jazz Bass V's Frets Size

The Fender Player Plus Active Meteora Bass has Medium Jumbo frets, which should be taller than the Fender MonoNeon Jazz Bass V's Vintage frets.

Some people prefer taller frets because they result in more sustain since the strings get pressed cleanly without interference from the fretboard. However, if they're too tall—like Jumbo frets—, you might change the pitch of the strings accidentally if you press too hard because you won't be touching the fretboard with your fingers. This is also why some guitarists with a heavy grip prefer smaller frets. They like to feel the fingerboard to avoid pressing down too hard and getting out of pitch.

Final Playability Scores

Fender Player Plus Active Meteora Bass
Bending & Vibrato Ease 75
Chord Playability 70
Solo Playability 70
Playability 72
Fender MonoNeon Jazz Bass V
Bending & Vibrato Ease 65
Chord Playability 80
Solo Playability 70
Playability 72