The auction value of a distinctive bass guitar previously owned by The Who's John Entwistle has experienced a dramatic surge, tripling its estimated price after experts uncovered its remarkable connection to Queen's John Deacon.
The Wood Grain Discovery
Initially expected to fetch around £10,000, the 1986 Warwick Buzzard bass guitar is now projected to sell for between £20,000 and £40,000 when it goes under the hammer on December 2 at Gardiner Houlgate in Wiltshire. This substantial increase follows a meticulous examination of the instrument's unique wood grain pattern.
Using advanced grain-matching techniques, specialists confirmed this was the exact same bass played by Queen's John Deacon during the band's iconic performance at the 1986 Montreux Pop Festival. The analysis also identified the instrument's appearance in Queen's 1986 music video for their top 20 hit 'Friends Will Be Friends'.
From Obscurity to Stardom
The bass guitar's journey to recognition has been extraordinary. When it was last auctioned in 2003 by Sotherby's following Entwistle's death, it sold for just £3,500. At that time, auctioneers were completely unaware of the instrument's connection to Queen and its status as one of only a small number of prototypes produced.
Experts now believe that John Entwistle lent the bass to Queen during this period, creating an unexpected link between two of Britain's most legendary rock bands. The Warwick Buzzard was originally designed in collaboration with Entwistle himself and represents one of the German manufacturer's most innovative and distinctive instruments.
Auctioneer's Excitement
Luke Hobbs, the auctioneer handling the sale, expressed his enthusiasm for the remarkable discovery. "Bass guitars generally aren't seen as being as cool as regular guitars so tend to attract lower prices," he noted. "However, this instrument with its history with The Who – and now Queen – is pretty special."
Hobbs emphasised the significance of the wood grain preservation: "The wood grain of a guitar is like a fingerprint so thank goodness the bass wasn't painted. If it had been, the current owners probably wouldn't have been able to prove the connection to Queen."
As a self-professed Queen fan, Hobbs added: "The 1986 Montreux Pop Festival was one of their highpoints. They were at the peak of their powers and had just released their classic album A Kind Of Magic."
The instrument became a regular feature of Entwistle's later years with The Who, and its newly discovered Queen connection has generated considerable international interest ahead of the December auction.
