In a story about time travel, anything can happen, but one question remains: whatever happened to the guitar used in a pinnacle scene of “Back to the Future?”
The answer to that question eludes the filmmakers and stars. Now they’re trying to find a piece of movie history.
The guitar in question is a 12th, The Associated Press reported.
It was the guitar Michael J. Fox played during the Enchantment Under the Sea scene in the first “Back to the Future” film.
When the sequel was being made, filmmakers were trying to find the same guitar. They had one that looked like the original guitar, but it may or may not have been the same one, The Hollywood Reporter said.
Now, decades later, the quest to find the missing Gibson has been resurrected and will be documented in the film “Lost to the Future.”
Marty McFly’s iconic Cherry Red Gibson ES-345 from Back to the Future has been missing since 1985. Now, the filmmakers are searching for its whereabouts.
— Gibson (@gibsonguitar) June 3, 2025
Where we’re going, we don’t need roads—just clues. Know anything about the missing ES-345? Click👉 https://t.co/fvs5WYxly2 pic.twitter.com/BfAHWOLbhk
A teaser for the film, and the search, was released by guitar maker Gibson, and features the stars of the original “Back to the Future” - Fox, Christopher Lloyd and Lea Thompson. It even has a cameo by Huey Lewis who had a bit part in the 1985 movie, and performed the lead track “The Power of Love.”
“We’ve been looking into leads and rumors for a long time, and as you can imagine, we’re talking 40 years ago, so memories fade,” “Lost to the Future” director Doc Crotzer told The Hollywood Reporter. “We weren’t in the era of digital trails, or of receipts and things like that. There are conflicting reports too. You can find about as many different rumors as you can people.”
The guitar was rented by the filmmakers from Norman’s Rare Guitars in Los Angeles, and it was returned to the store after shooting was completed. That was the last place it was confirmed to have been, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Norman’s owner, Norman Harris, had said in the past that he sold it to a friend who then sold it to a woman, who at one point asked Harris if he wanted to buy it for $1 million. He also shared a story that it was sold to someone in Japan. So what actually happened is murky.
Neither Gibson nor the documentary makers have the serial number, but it has a unique feature that will help them determine if it was the film-used instrument or another similar Gibson. The 12th fret of the guitar is solid instead of the split parallelogram inlay that is on the guitars of the same style, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
As part of the plea to find the guitar, Gibson is asking people for information leading to its discovery. The tips can be shared on Gibson’s website, Lost to the Future, or by calling 855-345-1955.
The guitar search is being held in conjunction with the film’s 40th anniversary.
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