John Entwistle’s Gear: 1971–1974

1971–1972

Bass guitars – 1971–1972

• 1965–69 Gibson Thunderbird IV bass (“Non-Reverse”-style)

  

  Ca. 1971, with custom-color (possibly orange) Gibson Thunderbird IV bass (“Non-Reverse”-style). Early version of Sunn rig, with Hiwatt SE4123 and Sunn 4×12 cabinets, and Hiwatt CP103 amplifier (as spare).

  John began the post-Tommy era using Gibson Thunderbird IV (“Non-Reverse”-style) bass guitars in various finishes, including Sunburst and custom colour finishes.

  Specs

  • Honduras mahogany body in “non-reverse body” style (top bout longer than bottom bout), sunburst finish (or “Duco” nitrocellulose custom colour finishes)
  • Mahogany set neck, with rosewood fretboard
  • 34 3/8″ scale, 20 frets
  • Chrome-plated pickup covers, bridge cover and finger rest
  • Two humbucking pickups, two volume/one tone controls
  • Tune-O-Matic bridge
  • Laminated pickguard with finger grip and “Thunderbird” logo on top bout.

• 1964 Gibson Thunderbird IV bass

  

  Click to view larger version: 1964 Gibson Thunderbird IV Bass, serial no. 160065.

  

  1964 Gibson Thunderbird IV bass

  • Used at least two; one accidentally destroyed by Keith Moon while exiting stage at Forest Hills in July 1971, breaking the neck off; and John subsequently smashed it to pieces.
  • At right, serial no. 160065 (impressed to rear of headstock), in mahogany.
  • Sold in Sotheby’s May 2003 auction: estimated £6,000–£8,000; sold for £28,800.
  • Owned by David Swartz.
  • On display through October 2019 at the Play It Loud Exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

  John: “Once you turn up the treble on a Precision, the bottom drops out.” “In big arenas, I wasn’t getting enough bottom end from the P-Basses when I had the treble all the way up.”

  From April 1994 Bassist interview

  “…by ‘Quadrophenia’ and Who By Numbers I was playing Gibson Thunderbirds. I felt I was getting stuck in a rut, using all the treble. So I changed to Sunn Colosseum [sic: Coliseum] power amps and a German preamp called a Stremp [sic: Stramp], and took up with the Thunderbirds. Eventually I found that I had developed a new playing style, then discovered Alembic basses and went back to playing with treble. I go backwards and forwards like that all the time.”

  Specs

  • Honduras mahogany body in “reverse body”-style (bottom bout longer than top bout), sunburst finish
  • Mahogany through neck, with rosewood fretboard
  • 34 3/8″ scale, 20 frets
  • Nickel-plated pickup covers, bridge cover and finger rest
  • Two humbucking pickups, two volume/one tone controls
  • Tune-O-Matic bridge
  • Laminated pickguard with finger grip and “Thunderbird” logo on bottom bout
   

  Click to view larger versions. 1964 Gibson Thunderbird serial no. 160065, collection of David Swartz.

  

  Click to view larger version. At home, with 1964 Gibson Thunderbird IV bass, and son Christopher with 1972 mini Thunderbird bass.

  

  West L.A. Music has on display one of John’s 1963 Gibson Thunderbird IV basses. ©West L.A. Music.

  

  Click to view larger version. Late use of Gibson Thunderbird IV bass, On stage ca. 1974. Courtesy Bob Elliott.

• “The Axe” Custom bass

  

  1988 Sotheby’s auction of “The Axe,” a Peter Cook custom bass built around a Gibson Thunderbird neck. Courtesy Bruce K.

  • Used 15 Dec. 1971, plus Old Grey Whistle Test (1973), Tommy film (1974).
  • Designed by Peter Cook from a Gibson Thunderbird-style neck, with body in the form of a pole-axe, black and cream stringing, two Thunderbird pickups, two volume and one tone control, 34″ scale.
  • Inspired by previous Axe bass used 1967.
  • Sold in 1988 Sotheby’s auction: estimated £2,000–3,000.
  

  15 Dec., 1971 in Seattle, John plays “The Axe,” a Peter Cook custom bass built around a Gibson Thunderbird neck. © copyright and courtesy of Jeff Gledhill.

  

  1973, Old Grey Whistle Test, John plays “The Axe,” a Peter Cook custom bass built around a Gibson Thunderbird neck.

  

  Ca. 1974, the Tommy Eyesight To The Blind scene, with “The Axe,” bass.

  

  Click to view larger version. From the 1978 Who Exhibition in London, the “Axe” bass.

  

  Click to view larger version. From the 1978 Who Exhibition in London, the “Axe” bass.

Amplification – 1971–1972

John Entwistle began using the first iteration of his Sunn rig at this time, what eventually became a 1,200-watt system, designed by Bob Heil, who also designed the Who’s first Sunn PA for the Who’s next tour. John’s rig was not miked through the PA.

1971

• Amplifiers
  • One Sunn Coliseum Lead amplifer head
  • One Sunn Coliseum Bass amplifer head
• Speakers
  • Two Sunn 4×12 cabinets, some fitted with Bob Heil’s Ye Old Music Shop of Marissa, Illinois, badges; or one Sunn 4×12 with one Hiwatt SE4123 4×12 cabinet
  • Two Sunn 1×18 cabinets

At the Oval Kennington, 18 Sept. 1971, an additional Coliseum Bass amp was used. But John largely remained with the one Coliseum Lead/one Coliseum Bass each on one Sunn 4×12/1×18 stack through December 1971.

Conrad Sundholm (of Sunn), on the Sunn Coliseum bass amp (from the Sunn Shack (archived):

But the Coliseum series, that included the bass amp used by the Who, was a unique preamp circuit because each of the tone controls was a separate preamp. You could turn it all the way off, so you had ultimate control. A lot of versatility — you could turn the midrange off or turn the bass off or the treble, it used active filters.

1972

When the Who returned to the road in August 1972 for the European tour, John had expanded the Sunn rig, adding a Sunn Coliseum 880 amplifier head, and two Sunn 3×12 cabinets sitting at either side of the setup on top of the 1×18 cabinets, and were fitted with badges from Bob Heil’s Ye Old Music Shop of Marissa, Illinois. This configuration remained through the 10 March, 1973, Voorburg one-off show, and August 1973 rehearsals.

• Amplifiers
  • One Sunn Coliseum Lead amplifer head
  • One Sunn Coliseum 880 amplifer head
  • One Sunn Coliseum Bass amplifer head
• Speakers
  • Two Sunn 4×12 cabinets (center)
  • Two Sunn 1×18 cabinets (left/right bottom)
  • Two Sunn 3×12 cabinets (left/right top), fitted with Bob Heil’s Ye Old Music Shop of Marissa, Illinois, badges.

Selected quotes from John Entwistle

All quotes and references are copyright their original owners and are included for reference only.

From December 1996 Total Guitar magazine interview

What gear were you using on the [Quadrophenia] sessions?

“It was a Gibson Thunderbird bass and Sunn amps. I used a very straight bass sound in the studio, although later for the tours I started to use more treble and got a bit raunchier. But I basically set the Sunn amps completely flat. I’ve never been fully comfortable with my bass sound, and it doesn’t seem to transfer to tape very well unless it’s live. I felt like I’d got stuck in a rut and the only way I could get out of it was by changing my playing style, my technique and all my gear. I started using the Thunderbird which had a much bassier sound, in fact no treble at all!

Sunn amps had a pretty solid sound to them and all this combined helped me out of this rut I was in as a player. I then went back to using treble and my style changed yet again. Even now, when I find myself in a corner, I force myself to change equipment or play in a different way.”

From October 1994, Guitar World interview

Also, around Quadrophenia was when I changed to Gibson Thunderbird basses. Either Thunderbird or Fender/Thunderbird hybrids. I had bodies made with the Thunderbird pickup and bridge. The bridge is positioned a sixteenth of an inch forward of where it is on the stock Thunderbird. And I put Fender necks on because the Thunderbird necks were too thin on top.

1973–1974

Bass guitars – 1973–1974

• 1964 Gibson Thunderbird IV bass (as above)

• “Fenderbird”

  

  “Fenderbird”

  Sunburst, black and orange/red-painted “Fenderbird” basses, made by luthier Peter Cook.

  • Gibson Thunderbird bridge hardware and electronics.
  • Custom mahogany Thunderbird IV-clone bodies (slightly thicker than a standard Thunderbird IV body to accept the Fender bolt-on neck — possibly the same thickness as a Fender Precision; which improved the tone, according to John).
  • Fender Precision maple neck, bolted on.
  • Height adjustment screws on the pickups were altered by Peter Cook to be slightly countersunk so John didn’t tear his fingernails on them.
  • Paxman cases specifically designed for the Fenderbirds.

  Peter Cook made approximately six of these bass guitars for John.

  “Fenderbird” details

  Multiple views of one of John Entwistle’s orange/red-painted “Fenderbird” custom bass guitars and Paxman case, courtesy Rock Stars Guitars.

  

  Click to view larger version: Front view of John Entwistle’s “Fenderbird,” courtesy Rock Stars Guitars.

  

  Click to view larger version: Body view of John Entwistle’s “Fenderbird,” courtesy Rock Stars Guitars.

  

  Click to view larger version: Rear view of John Entwistle’s “Fenderbird,” courtesy Rock Stars Guitars.

  

  Click to view larger version: Top view of John Entwistle’s “Fenderbird” and custom Paxman case, courtesy Rock Stars Guitars.

• 1967 Rickenbacker 4005L “Light Show” bass

  

  John with Rickenbacker 4005L “Light Show” bass.

  • Serial no. GE2208
  • Used with the Who for television appearance only (5:15 rehearsal on 3 Oct. 1973, on “Top of the Pops”)

Amplification – 1973–1974

For the Quadrophenia shows starting October 1973, John expanded the Sunn rig further, adding a Coliseum Slave power amp and Sunn W 1×18 bins in the center of the stack configuration. This setup was used through May 1974, and a slightly modified setup was used for the June 1974 Madison Square Garden run, with two Coliseum Bass amplifiers stacked on one Coliseum Lead, with the Coliseum Slave set to the side on top of a 1×18 cabinet.

October 1973 – May 1974

• Amplifiers
  • One Sunn Coliseum Lead amplifier head
  • One Sunn Coliseum Slave power amp (connected to Lead)
  • One Sunn Coliseum 880 amplifier head (for midrange)
  • One Sunn Coliseum Bass amplifier head (connected by preamp out of 880)
• Speakers
  • Two Sunn 4×12 cabinets (center left/right)
    • Driven by Coliseum 880
  • Two Sunn 3×12 cabinets (top outside left/right), fitted with Bob Heil’s Ye Old Music Shop of Marissa, Illinois, badges.
    • Driven by Coliseum Bass
  • Two Sunn 1×18 cabinets (bottom outside left/right) (with Cerwin-Vega speakers)
    • Driven by Coliseum Lead/Slave
  • Two Sunn W 1×18 PA bins (bottom inside left/right)
    • Driven by Coliseum Lead/Slave
• Signal divided by electronic crossover and sent to particular amplifier set for frequency range.

June 1974

• Amplifiers
  • One Sunn Coliseum Lead amplifier head
  • Two Sunn Coliseum Bass amplifier heads
  • One Sunn Coliseum Slave power amp
• Speakers
  • Two Sunn 4×12 cabinets (top center/top outside stage left)
  • Two Sunn 3×12 cabinets (top outside left/right)
  • Two Sunn 1×18 cabinets (bottom outside left/right) (with Cerwin-Vega speakers)
  • Two Sunn W 1×18 PA bins (bottom inside left/right)
• Signal divided by electronic crossover and sent to particular amplifier set for frequency range.

Selected quotes from John Entwistle

All quotes and references are copyright their original owners and are included for reference only.

From October 1994, Guitar World interview

Also, around Quadrophenia was when I changed to Gibson Thunderbird basses. Either Thunderbird or Fender/Thunderbird hybrids. I had bodies made with the Thunderbird pickup and bridge. The bridge is positioned a sixteenth of an inch forward of where it is on the stock Thunderbird. And I put Fender necks on because the Thunderbird necks were too thin on top.

From November 1975, Guitar Player interview

Once I realized the Thunderbird was the bass I was going to be playing for a few years, I panicked because they stopped making them. I went to Manny’s [156 West 48th St., New York, NY 10036], and told them to buy up the whole stock, so consequently I got ten two-pickup Thunderbirds. Some of them had harmonic, microphonic pickups, so I couldn’t use them, and with the rest, I just couldn’t get the action as low as I wanted. So I used the pickups and hardware and bought some blonde Fender Precision necks and had some old style Thunderbird bodies built for the Fender necks to fit, and I’ve been using them on stage more than the Thunderbirds. I use them for recording as well. Blonde Precision necks are my favorites; those and Rickenbackers. Thunderbird necks tend to be too thin down at the bottom. I get my fingers all tangled up when I go to the first fret.

From November 1975, Guitar Player interview

On stage, I use two Sunn Coliseum stacks with Ox, and four with the Who. I use the straight Coliseum amp with a slave going through four 18’s, two in a big reflex cabinet, almost like a PA cabinet, and two in just straight compressed cabinets. Then I use two other amps, one for midrange, going through two 4-12’s and then an amp coming from the preamp out into the front of the next amp, with a lead cord which goes through two 3-12’s, which are like PA cabinets as well. This so I can project the sound but still have some sound on stage. The 18’s are Vegas and the 12’s are all the normal Sunn speakers.

What setting do you use on the amps?

I more or less have to use the equipment flat out with the stuff I’m using with Ox. I’d much rather use a lot more equipment, but it means I’d probably drown the band completely out. To get more treble I use an MXR, the little red box. It has a reverse limiting effect; it spreads the sound out and sustains it. It also doubles the volume. The only other pedal I use is a phaser, though I have quite a few other pedals at home — Morley echo pedals, power-wahs — but I really haven’t had time to incorporate them. I don’t want big rows of switches all over the place; I trip over the phaser as it is.

From the October 1974 Guitarist:

From about the time of the Who’s next album I used a cross between a Gibson Thunderbird and a Precision. I had it made for me with a Fender neck and the Thunderbird body, with Gibson bridge and fittings. Now I’m back to Precisions, but I’m happy with anything really, as long as it’s long-scale. I need to have the right feel when I’m on stage, and short-scale basses just don’t feel right for me.

Resources and Information

Contributors

Thanks to those who have made this page possible:

• Paul Winkler (pw_lists@slinkp.com)
• Brad Rodgers (whocollection.com)
• Rock Stars Guitars, rockstarsguitars.com

Additional Information:

• Brad Rodgers at whocollection.com
• Rock Stars Guitars, rockstarsguitars.com
• Sotheby’s May 2003 auction: sothebys.com
• Dr. Tube’s Schematics: drtube.com/guitamp.htm
• PlexiPalace Vintage Amps Forum: vintageamps.com/plexiboard/viewforum.php?f=3 (archived)
• Unofficial Sunn Equipment: sunn.ampage.org/site/museum/ (archived)
  • Includes “museum,” schematics and history.
• The Sunn Shack: richbriere.com/The_Sunn_Shack.htm (archived)
• Bass Culture, by John Entwistle; forewords by Roger Daltrey and Rick Nielsen. Published 2004 by Sanctuary Publishing
• Vintage Guitars Info: guitarhq.com/gibson.html
• Vintage Guitars Info: guitarhq.com/fender2.html#pbass
• Fly Guitars Gibson Thunderbird bass: flyguitars.com/gibson/bass/Thunderbird.php
• 2011 interview with John Entwistle’s luthier/guitar maker Peter Cook posted on flatericbassandguitar.blogspot.com

Manufacturer’s Sites

• Rotosound Strings: rotosound.com
• Gibson USA: gibson.com
• Sunn Amplification: sunnamps.com