The Who bassist's guitar up for auction in France

Lyon: A bass designed by and built for The Who rocker John Entwistle will be sold at auction in Lyon in eastern France Thursday, an auction house said...

Lyon: A bass designed by and built for The Who rocker John Entwistle will be sold at auction in Lyon in eastern France Thursday, an auction house said.

Estimated at between 12,000 and 15,000 euros ($13,000-$16,240), the angular axe from a band better remembered for smashing instruments will be on offer in the afternoon at the De Baecque auction house.

The guitar was a "prototype" built by German guitar-maker Warwick "at John Entwistle's request after he sketched it," auctioneer Etienne de Baecque said, before a limited run were offered for sale.

Entwistle, whose signature in gold felt-tip pen adorns the rear of the bass, gave the model away after demonstrating it at the 1988 opening of a Guitar Center shop in Lyon -- now closed.

A Lyon-based collector had kept it since then, but has now put many of his items up for sale.