The name Meteora could refer to a Marvel Avenger; maybe Nebula’s long lost cousin from deep in space. In actuality, that’s not actually far off: the original Fender Meteora came from the Parallel Universe collection, a futuristic set of instruments released in 2018. And now, in 2022, the Fender Player Plus Meteora HH has returned from its otherworldly adventures, complete with a unique look and agile engineering, to help players stand out in both character and speed.
While the guitar may be inspired by another reality, it’s here on the ground and ready for you… well, not exactly on the ground: its untraditional shape actually creates a semi-hazardous home position in a traditional guitar stand. But, maybe that’s not important because it’s a guitar you might have out all the time.
It might have flown in from space, and it is designed to inspire your fingers to fly too. Light, ergonomic, and easy are all words that surround the Meteora. And while you play, and I mean that in every sense of the word (it is a PLAYER Plus after all), you will find surprising tones; a hint of Foo Fighters there, a 60’s surf- inspired sound there, something new entirely that encourages you to step out on stage and share that sound with others. Palmed, strummed, plucked, picked…its all worth experimenting and creating and mixing. It’s the kind of guitar I might find while wandering the stages of Treefort; it’s crisp and clean tones reverberating through crowds, amplifying with the sun, pulsing through beer suds, and flying into welcome ears through warm music festival air, and even sneaking through ear plugs to awaiting crowds.
Speed, perhaps just like space engineering, is the name of the Meteora game. It takes seconds to create a song and a new tone; minutes to create a full experience. In some ways, I knew I had to limit my usage, unless I wanted it to have a permanent new space (pun intended) alongside other Player Plus. And while, like a Blue Origin space ride, a Meteora ride could span only minutes, it creates a lasting impression.
