The original guitar from Back to the Future is missing — and the film’s cast and creators are asking the public for help tracking it down.
Gibson, the brand behind the guitar featured in the iconic 1985 film, shared a video on social media Tuesday, June 2, revealing that the cherry red Gibson ES-345 hasn’t been seen since the movie first premiered.
The vibrant guitar played a major role in one of the film’s most memorable scenes, when Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) performed “Johnny B. Goode” at the “Enchantment Under the Sea” dance — jumpstarting rock ‘n’ roll history in the movie’s storyline.
In a new viral video, several of the movie’s stars — including Fox, Lea Thompson (Lorraine Baines McFly), Christopher Lloyd (Dr. Emmett Brown), and Harry Waters Jr. (Marvin Berry) — came together to plead for the guitar’s return.
“It’s somewhere lost in the space-time continuum, or it’s in some teamster’s garage,” Fox said. “If you know where it is, if you know who has it — call us, text us. We need that guitar. I need it.”
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.
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
— Gibson (@gibsonguitar) June 3, 2025
🎬SIGN UP for Parade’s Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox🎬
The instrument was originally rented from Los Angeles shop Norman’s Rare Guitars for production and returned after filming. However, when the team came back to shoot the sequels in 1989, the guitar had vanished.
“We’ve been looking into leads and rumors for a long time,” editor and producer Doc Crotzer told The Hollywood Reporter. “We’re talking 40 years ago — memories fade. There weren’t digital trails, receipts, or tracking. There are as many rumors as there are people.”
Mark Agnesi, Gibson’s Brand Experience Director and director of the film Lost to the Future, both confirmed they still have no idea where the guitar ended up.
Anyone with information is asked to send a tip at the Lost to the Future website or contact (855) 345-1955.
