The search is officially on for one of cinema’s most iconic, yet mysteriously vanished, instruments: the Gibson ES-345 electric guitar wielded by Marty McFly in the unforgettable “Johnny B. Goode” scene from 1985’s Back to the Future. Gibson, the legendary guitar manufacturer, has launched a worldwide appeal to locate the missing cherry-red axe, which hasn’t been seen in nearly 40 years.
UPDATE 4 July
Gibson Guitar Corporation has received over 5,000 submissions from 12 countries in their search for the iconic Cherry Red guitar from Back to the Future. Mark Agnesi, Director of Gibson, provided key details to help identify the genuine guitar.
First, the guitar is no longer at Norman’s Rare Guitars. Second, while the movie scene is set in 1955, the Gibson ES-345 model wasn’t introduced until 1958.
Gibson has narrowed the production year of the specific movie guitar to either 1960 or 1961. A 1960 model would have an “A” serial number, while a 1961 model would likely have a five-digit number impressed on the back of the headstock. The original handwritten serial number has been lost.
“The last thing that we’re really looking for is this one defining feature: ES-345s have split parallelogram inlays, but for whatever reason, the 12th fret on the guitar that Mike is using is a solid parallelogram inlay. That’s what we’re really looking for. That’s how we’re gonna know we found the right one.” – Mark Agnesi
Missing Marty McFly Guitar Sparks Global Hunt!
The influential scene, where Michael J. Fox’s character travels back to 1955 and electrifies a bewildered high school dance crowd with Chuck Berry’s yet-to-be-released classic, inspired countless aspiring musicians, including global superstars like John Mayer and Coldplay’s Chris Martin.
Martin even credits the film with inspiring Coldplay’s formation and famously reunited with Fox on stage in 2016 to recreate the iconic moment.
Back To The Future
Despite its immense cultural impact, the very guitar that helped shape a generation of music lovers seemingly vanished after filming.
Originally rented from vintage guitar expert Norman Harris, the filmmakers discovered the instrument was nowhere to be found when they sought it for the sequel.
“Cinema’s most influential guitar hasn’t been seen in 40 years,” states Gibson, expressing their determination to solve this decades-old mystery.
The desperate search coincides with the production of “Lost to the Future,” a documentary celebrating the film’s 40th anniversary and delving into its profound cultural significance.
The film, directed by Doc Crotzer, will chronicle the global hunt for the missing guitar, guiding viewers through “long forgotten film prop warehouses, fascinating vintage guitar shops, auction houses, and shadowy back alleys.”
Lost to the Future
“Lost to the Future” will feature interviews with beloved Back to the Future cast members, including Michael J. Fox, Lea Thompson, Christopher Lloyd, Harry Waters Jr., and Huey Lewis, alongside creator and screenwriter Bob Gale. Musicians who felt the “shockwaves” of McFly’s performance are also set to appear.
Ironically, the specific Gibson ES-345 model used in the film was, in fact, “from the future” for the 1955 setting – it wasn’t officially launched until 1958.
Vintage guitar expert Norman Harris revealed in an interview with Joe Bonamassa that filmmakers, despite his warnings, opted for the red vibrato-equipped guitar over period-correct options.
Gibson Reissues
To commemorate the film’s anniversary and the search, Gibson will release 88 Gibson and 85 Epiphone reissues of the iconic Cherry Red ES-345. Michael J. Fox is also slated to appear in an episode of Gibson TV’s ‘The Collection’.
Do you hold the key to this cinematic enigma?
Readers with any information regarding the whereabouts of the missing Gibson ES-345 Cherry are urged to contact Gibson via their dedicated website, www.LostToTheFuture.com, or by calling 1-855-345-1955.
Help bring this legendary instrument back to the future!
