So, to honour October 21 – recognised as Back To The Future Day because of its importance in the film’s sequel – Gibson has launched a range of special guitars, apparel and accessories.
The Back To The Future 1955 ES-345 Collector’s Edition from Gibson Custom in Cherry Red is limited to just 88 guitars globally – a nod to the DeLorean time machine in the film needing to accelerate to 88 miles per hour – and has exclusive design details. It costs $19,999 (almost £15,000).
The Epiphone Back To The Future ES-345, meanwhile, is limited to 1,985 guitars to celebrate the year the movie came out. It costs $999 (almost £750).
Michael J. Fox and Gibson Launch Search for “Back to the Future” Cherry Red Gibson ES-345
The guitar that inspired millions to pick up their own instruments has been missing since the ‘80s, so Michael J. Fox and Gibson are teaming up to find it.
Norman Harris' Rare Guitars in Tarzana, California is one of the most famous guitar shops in the world.
Norman Harris also ran a side hustle of renting equipment out to Hollywood productions. And that’s how it came to be that Back to the Future’s Michael J. Fox, in the role of Marty McFly, famously brandished a rare, one-of-a-kind Cherry Red Gibson ES-345 for a now-iconic performance of the Chuck Berry standard “Johnny B. Goode.” (Americansongwriter report)
When production wrapped, the filmmakers responsibly returned the guitar to Norman’s. But when they returned to Norman’s a few years later, intent on borrowing the same guitar for the sequel, it was nowhere to be found. The guitar, it seems, had been sold in the interim.
It’s only natural that cinephiles and guitar buffs alike would have great interest in tracking down this legendary prop. “I started searching for this guitar back in 2009 on my first day on the job at Norman’s Rare Guitars,” says Mark Agnesi, Director of Brand Experience at Gibson.
In something of a full-circle moment, Agnesi, who worked at Norman’s for over a decade, is now part of the team at Gibson, which is going public with the search by partnering with director Doc Crotzer for a true-crime-style documentary, called Lost to the Future, chronicling the search for the guitar. “After 16 years of searching, I’m so excited to get the entire guitar community together to help find the guitar that made me, and so many other guitarists of my generation, want to learn to play,” Agnesi said.
Fans are being encouraged to drop any tips they might have regarding the ES-345’s whereabouts via www.LostToTheFuture.com or call/text 1-855-345-1955.
Earlier in April, Epiphone has expanded its Inspired by Gibson Custom Collection, adding all-new models, fresh finishes and choice upgrades to its lineup of premium, Gibson-inspired electric guitars, which promise to deliver “vintage looks and performance at an accessible price”, Guitar World reports.
(Image credit: Epiphone)The flagship drop comprised a 1959 Les Paul Standard, 1959 ES-355 , Les Paul Custom, and 1963 Les Paul SG Custom. Now, Epiphone has added some more workhorse builds to the mix, unveiling a 1962 ES-335 reissue, 1960 Les Paul Special Double Cut, 1964 SG Standard with Maestro Vibrola, and a 1963 Firebird V and Firebird I.
There are also three new Les Pauls: the 1957 Les Paul Goldtop Reissue, 1960 Les Paul Standard, and another 1959 Les Paul Standard, which now arrives with an improved rosewood (rather than laurel) fingerboard.
