Re: The, Oh So Wonderful, OX !!!

[Alan McKendree <amck@thenetdr.com>]

>Date: Fri, 13 Oct 2000 09:26:32 -0400
>From: "O'Neal, Kevin W." <Kevin.ONeal@vtmednet.org>
>
>Toward the end of  his 5:15 solo at Cleveland (outrageous), John did this
>twisting of something near the keys of his base to tune down and up the
>sound of his instrument.
>Were they just the keys, or some other gadget I don't know of???
>Did he do this in Atlanta, or Tampa, or West Palm, or on the Second Leg
>too??

I can't remember where I saw/heard the name of the gadget but I'm pretty
sure it's called a Hipshot.  I've never examined it up close but it's a
lever attached approximately where the headstock joins the neck.  It lets
the player drop the tuning of the open low E string one step down to a D.
I first remember seeing him use it during the John Entwistle Band shows of
1998 (he may have had it in '96, but I'd have to check the historical
record).  He did use it on some others of the '00 soloes, but not all.

There may be more info at the Status Graphite website and/or the JEB Gear
Pages -- both have links at http://www.johnentwistle.com.

Cheers,

Alan
"That's unbelievable, if that's true."
   --Howard Stern, 5/25/00