Rare 1966 Fender P-Bass Owned By John Entwistle Hits the Market

John Entwistle with 1966 Fender P-Bass

Every once in a while, a special piece of history pops up for sale on Reverb. The online gear platform has put the spotlight on a real gem this week with a rare bass that was owned by rock royalty.

This 1966 Fender P-Bass was previously owned by The Who’s John Entwistle, but that’s not all that made it special. It features a squared-off slab body specifically made for the UK market. Only 20 to 25 pieces of this specific model were ever made.

“While this bass might look like a standard ’66 P-Bass at first glance, what differentiates it is its uncontoured Telecaster-style ash body married to a neck with a laid-on maple fingerboard. The maple-capped neck was particularly rare, as it was a custom-order feature and not offered as a stock appointment at that time.”

The Reverb listing notes that Entwistle references the bass in his book Bass Culture, saying he purchased it in the 1970s and that the body is refinished. He prized the model for its unique tone and reportedly owned three of them.

The bass is currently up for sale on Reverb for $46,500 and comes with all documentation.

In his time with No Treble, Kevin has met hundreds of amazing bassists and interviewed icons like Jack Casady, Victor Wooten, Les Claypool, Marcus Miller, and more. He's a gigging bassist performing jazz in Northern Virginia and bluegrass with The Plate Scrapers up and down the East Coast. Kevin appreciates all genres of music, from R&B to metal and everything in between. Connect with Kevin on Facebook and check his performance schedule on his website.

Get Bass Gear News in your inbox.

Stay up to date on the latest bass gear news (every Thursday).

Share your thoughts

  1. stacey Jackson

    Do you sell all types of basses? I have a Moonstone flyingV bass from the early 80’s I’d like to sell, barely played

  2. roy leinf

    The ox. The man, the myth the legend, the best…