Who Gear: Museum pieces

A work-in-progress overview of the The Who’s instruments featured at museums, restaurants, etc. If you have updates and/or photos, please contact us. Please note: venues like the Hard Rock tend to move their collections around with regularity, so please do not rely on this page for necessarily current information.

Exhibit news (2019/20):

Many Who instruments, including pieces of Keith’s Pictures of Lily kit, courtesy Brad Rodgers, whocollection.com, and John’s Gibson Thunderbird IV, Alembic 8-string bass guitar, 1965 Fender Jazz bass, Alembic Series I, Pete’s Gibson SG Special (and another smashed encased in lucite), two Les Paul Deluxes and the Epiphone Wilshire all courtesy David Swartz, were on display through October 2019 at the Play It Loud Exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

In November 2019, the exhibit moved to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Cleveland, Ohio, and will be on display through 13 Sept. 2020. See rockhall.com/play-it-loud for exhibit information.

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Cleveland, Ohio.

Pete’s original 1968 Gibson J-200
Pete’s #5 1976 Gibson Les Paul Deluxe, serial no. 00129875, courtesy Brad Rodgers, whocollection.com. On display since April 1998. (Currently at the Musical Instrument Museum, Phoenix, Arizona)
Pete’s Schecter Telecaster, serial no. S 8474, courtesy Brad Rodgers, whocollection.com. On display since April 1998
Two Pictures of Lily floor toms, courtesy Brad Rodgers, whocollection.com.
John’s Alembic bass, customised by Peter Cook, courtesy Brad Rodgers, whocollection.com.
Buzzard bass, courtesy Brad Rodgers, whocollection.com.
Sunn 412L amplifier stack
Hiwatt CP103 amplifier and two 4×12 cabinets, courtesy Brad Rodgers, whocollection.com.

Hard Rock Cafés

Hard Rock Café Vault, London, England: Takamine EN-10C. Serial Number 84041044; Gibson Les Paul Deluxe – with with original pickups replaced, and typical extra pickup modifications and switches. (This was the second guitar given to Hard Rock, with Eric Clapton’s being the first.; Black Fenderbird bass (plaque: “This hybrid Fender-Gibson bass was used by John on stage and in the studio from 1973 to 1976. This instrument reflects John’s longstanding interest in creating a superior bass from a variety of guitar manufacturers.
Hard Rock Memorabilia Warehouse: Hiwatt CP103 amplifier, serial no. 852(?). Previously at Hard Rock Museum, Orlando, Fla.
Reykjavik, Iceland: Silver tom tom from Keith Moon’s collection circa 1969–75
Honolulu, Hawaii, USA: Keith Moon’s bassdrum
Stockholm, Sweden: Pete Townshend. A Gibson SG smashed on stage by Pete.
Gatlinburg, Tennessee, USA: Brown Fender Stratocaster guitar played by Pete Townshend in 1989 on the Who’s 25th Anniversary tour of America.
Cleveland, Ohio, USA: John Entwistle used this brown violin bass guitar in the famous Who film Tommy scored by Pete Townshend.
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, USA: A natural finish Kent guitar, destroyed by Pete Townshend on stage and then thrown into the audience during a performance in New York around 1968.
San Diego, California, USA: Schecter Telecaster guitar with B-Bender used by Pete Townshend for the song “Eminence Front.” (no longer on display, as of 2013)
Orlando, Florida, USA: Pete Townshend smashed this 1973 Gibson Les Paul Custom guitar accidentally, at Newcastle Odeon on November 7, 1973. He threw it in the air and missed on the way down. Oops! Courtesy rockstarsguitars.com.
Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA: 1965 Gibson Firebird XII in Pelham Blue: 12-string Green 1965 Gibson Firebird 12-string guitar. One of only 272 ever made, played by Pete Townshend on the Tommy soundtrack. Find it on the wall just past the restrooms. Photo courtesy rockstarsguitars.com.
Sydney, Australia: John Entwistle’s custom-painted bass. One of only six custom paint jobs on his guitars. This unique paint job is the only one of its kind.
Bristol (Bar), England: This Status Buzzard bass was purchased as part of John’s “Flock of Buzzards,” which was a road case that contained five status Buzzard basses custom made for John. This bass and the other four were used both for live work with The Who and The John Entwistle band.
Copenhagen, Denmark: Gibson acoustic guitar, signed by Pete – “Pete Townshend, November 1992,…To music – the ultimate therapy.” Purchased at the Silver Clef Award Dinner charity auction.
La Jolla, California, USA: John Entwistle played this french horn on the Tommy album in 1969.
Manchester, England: White Gibson SG guitar signed by Pete.
Memphis, Tennessee, USA: John Entwistle, Nicknamed “the Ox,” played this Fender Precision bass guitar in 1969 while recording tracks for the hit opera Tommy.
Miami, Florida, USA: Microphone stand used by bass player John Entwistle, custom-fitted with beverage squeeze bottle.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA: Pete Townshend, blue Rickenbacker guitar.
Seoul, South Korea: John Entwistle signed this Alembic bass.
Washington, D.C., USA: Pete Townshend signed this red Fender Telecaster, “To my Hard Rock buddies.”
San Francisco, California, USA: Alex Axe 6/12 doubleneck. This guitar was used on Rough Mix.
New York, USA: Gold Schecter Telecaster; Peter Cook “Lightning Bolt” custom bass
Las Vegas (Hotel), Nevada, USA: Gibson Les Paul Deluxe (#9)
Dallas, Texas, USA: Gibson Les Paul Deluxe (#1), as of 2007.
Dublin, Ireland: Status Buzzard 8-string (h/t Mikey Reed)
Chicago, Illinois, USA: Body of black Giffin telecaster. The plaque incorrectly states that the guitar was smashed at the Chicago Auditorium on 17 August 1971.
Atlanta, Georgia, USA: John Entwistle Alembic Explorer bass guitar, as of September 2013.

Other museums

Victoria & Albert Museum, London, England: A smashed 1976 Gibson Les Paul Deluxe Gold Top, three pickups, unnumbered.
Musical Instrument Museum, Phoenix, Arizona: Pete’s #5 1976 Gibson Les Paul Deluxe, serial no. 00129875, courtesy Brad Rodgers, whocollection.com, was on display courtesy Brad and Diana Rodgers, in the The Electric Guitar: Inventing an American Icon exhibit, as of 2020.