Michael J. Fox made history in 1985 when his “Back to the Future” character Marty McFly played Chuck Berry’s “Johnny B. Goode” on a cherry red Gibson ES-345.

That iconic scene influenced musicians from John Mayer to Coldplay’s Chris Martin to pick up a guitar.As the movie celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2025, producers and writers behind the classic film thought it would be fun to bring out the famed guitar.

Unfortunately, nobody knows where it is.

The cherry red Gibson ES 345 Michael J. Fox played in the movie “Back to the Future” is missing. Gibson Guitars is launching a worldwide search to try to find it.

Mark Agnesi, director of brand experience at Gibson Guitars, said that while an official search launched in 2025, he’s personally been looking for it since 2009.The guitar (which Michael J. Fox did actually play during the film) was rented from Norman’s Rare Guitars in Los Angeles for the film. After the scene was shot, what happened to it is a mystery.”I ran Norman’s Rare Guitars for 10 years and my first day on the job, every time I would open a case of something in the store, I would look for this guitar,” Agnesi told The Tennessean. “We have been searching for it quietly, but now we are at a place where we need the public’s help.”

Gibson Guitar is conducting a worldwide search for the missing Gibson ES 345 guitar played by Michael J. Fox in the movie “Back to the Future.” The guitar has been lost since the filming of the iconic scene in the movie.

Guitar’s unique feature could be ‘saving grace’ to search effort

Because Gibson made more than one cherry red ES-345 in the early 1960s, finding the guitar used in the movie could be challenging. Luckily, it has one very telling birthmark.” What’s really peculiar and what makes this whole thing even stranger and cooler and better is this guitar has a very, very unusual anomaly that shouldn’t be on this guitar,” Agnesi said.Gibson ES-345s have a unique design feature called a “split parallelogram inlay.” (A parallelogram is a slanted, four-sided shape whose opposing sides are the same length). The instrument Marty played in the “Enchantment Under the Sea” school dance scene had two parallelograms going down the neck of the guitar, and the 12th fret has a solid parallelogram instead of a split, Agnesi said.

“This is not a stock or standard feature,” Agnesi said. “This is a complete and total anomaly that was either custom ordered or it was a factory second guitar where the little piece of wood chipped out so they just put a solid piece in. The fact that happened to be the one that got rented to the movie is the one saving grace that is going to help us know we have found the guitar because it shouldn’t be there.”It’s possible whoever has the guitar also has its original case and even an official letter from Norm Harris, owner of the guitar shop that rented it for the movie.Or not.”We also know Norm wrote a letter of authenticity that’s probably floating around with the guitar too, but whether or not that’s even still part of the package, if it’s still in the pocket of the case, who knows,” he said. “But somewhere there’s some kind of letter authenticating it from Norm’s as well.”

Michael J. Fox, other stars featured in documentary about the quest

The cherry red Gibson ES 345 Michael J. Fox played in the movie “Back to the Future” is missing. Gibson Guitars is launching a worldwide search to try to find it.

In addition to launching a public search for the piece of rock and roll history, Gibson Films is making “Lost to the Future,” a documentary about the search that director Doc Crotzer hopes will have a happy ending.”We have a whole bunch of leads and tips that we want to investigate, but we also want to make sure we can capture it on film so that fans can go along for the ride with us,” Crotzer said. “And hopefully that magic moment when we find it, they get to share in.””Lost to the Future” will feature interviews with “Back to the Future” stars including Michael J. Fox, Lea Thompson, Christopher Lloyd and Harry Waters Jr. It will also feature interviews with musician Huey Lewis, who wrote and performed “Power of Love” from the movie’s soundtrack, along with co-creator/screenwriter/producer Bob Gale.Gale wasn’t aware that the guitar had been lost until Crotzer approached him about it.”If we had known what this was going to be, we probably would’ve bought the guitar,” Gale said. “We probably spent more money renting it than it would’ve cost to buy it. But okay, it’s Hollywood and this is what you do. I came to learn that the guitar in ‘Back to Future’ Part Two (the movie’s sequel) is not the same exact guitar that we had in Part One.”Break a leg: Kings of Leon’s Caleb Followill cancels upcoming showsLive music: June is ‘concert season’ in Nashville. Festivals, rock shows and Willie Nelson are among our top picksGale said there have been lots of rumors around where the guitar might be. Maybe a tourist bought it? Who knows. Maybe someone swiped it? No hard feelings, just come forward, he pleaded.”We won’t call the cops, I promise,” he said.”What if it’s just been in a case in a closet and the owner just thinks it’s just some cool, old vintage guitar, but they have no idea that it’s the one from ‘Back to the Future?” Crotzer asked. “Hopefully, whoever has it in whatever way that they are comfortable, they would be willing to share it with with fans, especially given that this year is the 40th anniversary of the movie.”Anyone with a tip on the guitar’s whereabouts can call 1-855-345-1955 or visit www.losttothefuture.com.Melonee Hurt covers music and music business at The Tennessean, part of the USA TODAY NETWORK — Tennessee. Reach Melonee at [email protected] or on Instagram at @MelHurtWrites.This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Marty McFly’s Back to the Future guitar is missing. Have you seen it?

A Key “Back to the Future Prop” Has Been Missing Since Filming Wrapped. Why Michael J. Fox Is Hoping to Find It (Exclusive)

The cast of the iconic film has teamed up with Gibson on a quest to track down the ES-345 Marty McFly played at the Enchantment Under the Sea Dance

Chris Barilla
Tue, June 3, 2025 at 11:48 PM GMT+7·4 min read

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Universal-GettyMichael J. Fox in ‘Back to the Future’ in 1985

NEED TO KNOW

The iconic Gibson guitar Marty McFly plays in Back to the Future has been missing for nearly 40 years
As the film approaches its milestone, its stars are reuniting to try and find the prop, in a hunt documented in a new film, Lost to the Future
Stars Michael J. Fox and Lea Thompson speak to PEOPLE exclusively about their movie memories as they embark on the search alongside their costars

Fire up your flux capacitors, because we may need a time machine for this one.In honor of the 40th anniversary of the release of Back to the Future, the film’s primary cast members have joined forces with Gibson Guitars on a quest to track down one of the most iconic pieces of memorabilia from the film: Michael J. Fox’s (Marty McFly’s) red ES-345 that he played “Johnny B. Goode” on at the Enchantment Under the Sea Dance.“I was born in the ’60s when there was an explosion of very important music,” Fox, 63, tells PEOPLE of the genesis of his love for music that ultimately manifested in the iconic film scene. “My brother listened to them all, and I was 7 years old listening to Blind Faith and Rare Earth. I always wanted to be a rock ‘n’ roll guitarist, that’s all I wanted to do. It’s always been a passion of mine, rock ‘n’ roll, and particularly the guitar, there’s just something about it, like you are wringing the magic and the music out of it.”

To accomplish this monumental feat and hopefully unearth a lost treasure of film history, the legendary instrument manufacturer has launched an international hunt for the guitar, accompanied by a call-to-action video released on Tuesday, June 3, featuring Fox, as well as fellow cast members Lea Thompson, Christopher Lloyd, Harry Waters Jr., Huey Lewis and more.Thompson, 64, tells PEOPLE that although she considers Fox’s famed BTTF instrument “an incredible guitar,” she really has little idea what could have happened to it once filming wrapped.”When we made [the first] Back to the Future, we didn’t even think we were going to make a sequel,” Thompson tells PEOPLE. “There was no sequel deal, there was no concept of that. I mean, that’s how long ago it was. So people weren’t like Star Wars taking the props and everything. I only have the dress and the shoes and the jewelry from the prom.”Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

GibsonGibson’s ‘MISSING’ poster for the ‘Back to the Future’ ES-345
The actress continues, “I have no idea how [the guitar] slipped through people’s hands. I mean, the first thing I thought was maybe one of the prop masters had it … but then I knew it was super expensive … so it had to go somewhere.”Lewis shares a similar sentiment to PEOPLE, noting that Back to the Future has become “The Wizard of Oz for a new generation” while pondering what could have happened to Fox’s instrument.”Well, it’s pretty amazing, really. I mean, to think about what it might be worth, right?” says “The Power of Love” singer, 74. “So whoever’s got this thing, wherever it is. I mean, forget the actual guitar and the financial thing, there’s a great story there, obviously.”Lewis continues by noting that there were “quite a few guitar techs” working on the production at the time. “Maybe somebody fell on hard times and had to sell it, or I don’t know. Who knows what that story is, but it’s fairly interesting and apparently, because of the frets, it will be identifiable.”

GibsonGibson’s ‘MISSING’ poster for the ‘Back to the Future’ ES-345
To accompany the hunt for the guitar, Gibson Films has begun production on a new documentary film titled Lost to the Future. The forthcoming project will peel the curtain back even further on the hunt for the ES-345, featuring even more in-depth interviews with Fox, Thompson, Lloyd, Waters Jr., Lewis and the film’s co-creator/screenwriter/producer Bob Gale, as well as a select group of world-renowned musicians that have been inspired by the film over the decades.The documentary’s director, Doc Crotzer (Roadhouse, Glee), as well as Mark Agnesi (Director of Brand Experience at Gibson), “will guide viewers in the global hunt for this legendary instrument, from long-forgotten film prop warehouses, fascinating vintage guitar shops, auction houses and shadowy back alleys,” according to an official press release from Gibson.Those who may have any information related to the whereabouts of the guitar are encouraged to submit tips by visiting LostToTheFuture.com and calling the tip line at 1-888-345-1955. The site also allows those who are curious to sign up and stay updated about the hunt, and whether or not the instrument is ultimately found.Read the original article on People

Michael J. Fox appeals for help finding lost ‘Back to the Future’ guitar

Reuters
Wed, June 4, 2025 at 2:44 AM GMT+7·1 min read

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FILE PHOTO: Michael J. Fox arrives at the Time Magazine 100 gala in New York City

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Michael J. Fox and other stars of classic film “Back to the Future” appealed for the public’s help on Tuesday in locating the red Gibson guitar featured in a memorable scene.Marty McFly, the time-traveling teen portrayed by Fox in the 1985 film, stunned students at a 1950s high school dance with wild electric guitar riffs played on a Gibson ES-345 Cherry Red guitar in the movie.The guitar went missing after production wrapped.”It’s somewhere lost in the space-time continuum, or it’s in some Teamster’s garage,” Fox joked in a video released by Gibson.Co-stars Lea Thompson, Christopher Lloyd and Harry Waters Jr. also urged the public to join the search, as did singer Huey Lewis, whose song “The Power of Love” was featured in the movie.Gibson is filming a documentary called “Lost to the Future” about the search for the guitar. It also plans to re-issue the ES-345 Cherry Red in October.People can submit tips about the guitar’s whereabout via or via a phone number provided on the site.(Reporting by Lisa Richwine; Editing by Sandra Maler)