Decades after its iconic performance in Back to the Future, the legendary Gibson ES-345 guitar played by Michael J. Fox as Marty McFly has vanished, a mystery explored in Fox’s new memoir and now a global search led by Gibson, underscoring its profound cultural and personal significance.
The Gibson ES-345 guitar, famously wielded by Michael J. Fox as Marty McFly in the unforgettable “Johnny B. Goode” scene from the 1985 classic Back to the Future, has been missing for decades. This revelation comes directly from Fox in his newly released memoir, Future Boy: Back to the Future and My Journey Through the Space-Time Continuum. The disappearance of this cinematic artifact has sparked a global hunt, highlighting its immense cultural impact and personal resonance for the star.
The Guitar’s Enduring Mystery and Fox’s Candid Account
In his memoir, Fox candidly discusses the guitar’s disappearance, noting its significance has “grown more important for what it isn’t than for what it is.” He elaborates, “What it isn’t is available.” The actor admits he never anticipated how valuable the prop would become, stating, “I wish I could claim to possess it, but I didn’t have the foresight to know how valuable it would become.”
Unfortunately, Fox believes someone else did recognize its potential value. As reported by Us Weekly, he speculates that the guitar might be in someone’s “active collection or stashed in their attic or home studio,” adding a wry comment about them “waiting for the statute of limitations on vintage guitar theft to expire.” The specific guitar model, a Gibson ES-345, would undoubtedly command a premium price in today’s collector’s market, with similar vintage models fetching figures like $16,500 on sites such as Carter Vintage, and others in the $3,800 range.
A Scene of Personal and Cinematic Transformation
The “Johnny B. Goode” performance, where Marty McFly introduces 1950s teenagers to rock and roll at the “Enchantment Under the Sea” dance, holds a special place in Fox’s heart. During a chat with Good Morning America, he confirmed it as his favorite scene in the movie. Fox poured immense effort into it, revealing he “worked harder” on this scene than any other in Back to the Future.
The scene’s significance transcends its on-screen impact. For Fox, it was deeply symbolic, representing a transformative period in his own life, much like it was for his character. He recalled integrating various guitar heroics from his favorites, like Jimi Hendrix’s behind-the-head playing, Pete Townshend’s windmill strum, and Eddie Van Halen’s hammer-on technique. This dedication not only created an iconic movie moment but also inspired real-world musicians, with figures like John Mayer and Chris Martin citing Fox’s performance as a reason they picked up the guitar.
Despite the scene not being strictly necessary for the plot, Fox noted it was included “for pure joy” and served to relieve tension, providing a “time travel joke” that shocked the 1950s audience with future sounds. Director Robert Zemeckis himself cherished the filming of this sequence, telling Fox that those days were among the most enjoyable during the entire production.
Gibson’s Global Hunt and the “Lost to the Future” Documentary
Recognizing the guitar’s historical importance, Gibson, the instrument’s manufacturer, has officially launched a global search to recover the missing ES-345. This extensive quest is not just a casual search; it includes the sponsorship of a documentary film titled “Lost to the Future,” which chronicles the effort to locate Fox’s famous “red rock and roll machine.” The documentary’s release is directly contingent on the guitar’s discovery, adding an intriguing layer to the ongoing mystery.
As detailed by reports, the guitar was last accounted for when filming concluded, and its absence was noted during the production of the 1989 sequel. To engage fans in this unprecedented search, Gibson has created a dedicated “Lost to the Future” website, inviting the community to assist in solving the nearly 40-year-old enigma. The documentary will feature interviews with Fox, co-stars Lea Thompson and Christopher Lloyd, and film co-creator Bob Gale, who expressed his astonishment at the prop’s disappearance and hopes the current effort will solve the “decades-long mystery.”
Gibson CEO Cesar Gueikian also revealed a personal connection to the film and the “Enchantment Under the Sea” scene, underscoring the company’s commitment to finding the instrument. The documentary plans to delve into various avenues for recovery, from exploring 80s pop culture memorabilia to investigating prop warehouses, vintage guitar shops, and auction houses, painting a comprehensive picture of the challenges and hopes in retrieving this treasured piece of cinematic history.
