03-06-2025
'Lost to the Future:' Which iconic musical instrument has been lost for 40 years?
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.
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."
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."
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 Llyod 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 shows
Live music: June is 'concert season' in Nashville. Festivals, rock shows and Willie Nelson are among our top picks
Gale 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
Melonee Hurt covers music and music business at The Tennessean, part of the USA TODAY NETWORK — Tennessee. Reach Melonee at mhurt@ or on Instagram at @MelHurtWrites.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Movie guitar that influenced Chris Martin, John Mayer is lost
