"So by the time I taught myself the bass guitar at the age of 14, my hands were already pretty nimble"

In this quote, John Entwistle is reviewing his musical journey and how he came to find out the bass guitar. He mentions that he taught himself the instrument at the age of 14, which is a fairly young age to get a brand-new skill. However, he also adds that his hands were already "pretty nimble" by that point. This suggests that he had currently developed some level of dexterity and coordination in his hands, perhaps from playing other instruments or engaging in other activities. This might have offered him a benefit in learning the bass guitar and permitted him to advance rapidly. In general, this quote highlights Entwistle's natural skill and decision to master the bass guitar at a young age.