John Entwistle’s Bass Guitar Heads to Auction and Could Fetch £40,000 After Queen Connection Discovered
Photo by Klaus Hiltscher, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
A Bass With a Surprising History
A 1986 Warwick Buzzard bass guitar once owned by the late John Entwistle of The Who is heading to auction on Dec. 2, with estimates now between £20,000 and £40,000. The price jumped after experts learned the instrument was also used by Queen’s John Deacon. Wood grain analysis revealed the link, raising the value far above the original expectation of £10,000 before the discovery.
Auctioneers matched the wood grain pattern to footage from Queen’s 1986 Montreux Pop Festival performance. Using the same type of analysis, they also confirmed the bass appears in the band’s 1986 music video for their hit “Friends Will Be Friends.” The findings offered clear proof that the same instrument had been played by musicians from both iconic bands.
A Rare Prototype With Deep Musical Ties
Experts now believe John Entwistle lent the Warwick Buzzard to Queen at some point during the mid-1980s. When the bass was first auctioned by Sotheby’s in 2003 after Entwistle’s death, it sold for £3,500. At that time, no one knew of its connection to Queen. Only later did researchers discover that this particular Buzzard is one of only a few prototypes ever made, adding to its rarity and appeal.
“Bass guitars generally aren’t seen as being as cool as regular guitars, so tend to attract lower prices,” said auctioneer Luke Hobbs, as quoted by the BBC. “However, this instrument, with its history with The Who — and now Queen — is pretty special.” The new information places the bass in an unusual category, valued not only for its craftsmanship but also for its place in rock history.
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Collectors Expected to Bid Aggressively
Hobbs said he expects strong global interest once the auction begins. “These were both huge British bands with international followings so we’re expecting considerable interest,” he explained. With fans of both groups active in the collector market, the auction could see spirited bidding from buyers hoping to own a piece of two legendary bands’ stories.
“The wood grain of a guitar is like a fingerprint so thank goodness the bass wasn’t painted,” Hobbs noted. Paint would have made identifying the instrument impossible for the current owners. Because the natural grain remained untouched, experts were able to confirm its use across different performances and recordings.
Designed With Entwistle’s Input
The Warwick Buzzard bass was originally created through a collaboration between John Entwistle and the German manufacturer. Its unusual shape and bold design made it one of the most recognizable instruments he played in his later years with The Who. Today, its newly uncovered history adds another layer to its already unique legacy.
