Gibson has officially partnered with the cast of Back to the Future to launch a worldwide campaign in search of the iconic Cherry Red Gibson ES-345 guitar, famously played by Michael J. Fox’s character, Marty McFly, in the beloved 1985 film. The guitar, considered a cultural treasure among electric instruments, has not been seen since the movie’s production wrapped.
The initiative has garnered support from major figures associated with the film. Cast members Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd (Dr. Emmett Brown), Lea Thompson (Lorraine Baines-McFly), and Harry Waters Jr. (Marvin Berry) have all endorsed the search. Joining them is Huey Lewis, the musician behind the film’s chart-topping hit The Power of Love.
“No one has seen this guitar since 1985, and we need to find it,” emphasized Waters. The instrument in question is the large, semi-hollow body guitar used during the memorable Enchantment Under the Sea Dance scene, where McFly plays Chuck Berry’s “Johnny B. Goode.”
The guitar’s whereabouts remain a mystery. “Somehow it has vanished,” remarked Lloyd. While his on-screen persona might have sought an answer through the laws of physics, the real-world approach is relying on collective help from movie and guitar enthusiasts around the globe.
Bob Gale, co-creator of Back to the Future, noted the urgency and uniqueness of the endeavor. “Since we don’t have a functioning time machine, this effort is probably our best chance to solve a decades-long mystery,” he told the Gibson Gazette.
To further fuel the campaign, GibsonTV is producing a documentary titled Lost To The Future. The film will document the extensive search efforts, featuring archival footage, behind-the-scenes content, and explorations of various leads in guitar shops, auction houses, and prop warehouses.
Mark Agnesi, Gibson’s director of brand experience and a former employee at Norman’s Rare Guitars, has been investigating the ES-345’s disappearance for over 15 years. “I started playing guitar because of Michael J. Fox and this scene from Back to the Future,” Agnesi wrote on Instagram. “I started looking for this 1960–61 Cherry Red ES-345 back in 2009 on my first day at Norman’s Rare Guitars. After 16 years, I ask for your help. Have you seen this guitar? Did you see it somewhere in the ‘90s? Do you know who has it?”
Agnesi will also serve as the narrator for Lost To The Future, which is directed by Doc Crotzer. The film is expected to weave through a complex network of potential leads as Gibson’s search team follows every possible clue to recover the guitar.
Although the hunt for the instrument leans more toward Raiders of the Lost Ark than Back to the Future, and despite Steven Spielberg’s involvement in both franchises, this effort remains rooted in reality. Indiana Jones won’t be joining the quest, but Gibson hopes that the public might provide the critical clue.
Anyone with information about the missing Gibson ES-345 is encouraged to contact the team behind Lost To The Future. With enough help, there is still hope that this real-life mystery will conclude with a happy ending.
