The Lost Bass Project has taken on the case of finding Marty McFly's Gibson ES-345 from Back To The Future, similar to their recent success in tracking down Paul McCartney's missing Höfner 500/1 violin bass.
The iconic ES-345 guitar, famously played by Michael J. Fox as Marty McFly in the 1985 film Back to the Future, has been missing since the movie's production ended. Despite a global search initiated by Gibson, the guitar's current location remains unknown [1][3].
To aid in the search, Gibson has enlisted the help of investigative journalists Scott and Naomi Jones, who recently found Paul McCartney's missing Hoefner bass in 2023 [6]. Their expertise is proving invaluable as they scour for leads and tips from the public [1].
Thousands of leads have been submitted, but as of August 2025, the trail is still cold, and the guitar has not been recovered [1][3][5]. In light of this, Gibson is not expecting anyone to return the missing ES-345, but they are trying to locate it to reunite it with Michael J. Fox [4].
Agnesi, the director of brand experience at Gibson, has asked the public to check their own guitar collections, including guitars from family members, for any potential leads [2]. The possibility exists that the McFly ES-345 could be in someone's possession and they might not even know they have it.
The ES-345 that Gibson is searching for is either a 1960 or 1961 model, and it has a unique characteristic - an anomalous inlay at the 12th fret, which rules out most suspects [3].
Jason Isbell, a renowned musician, is also involved in the search for the lost ES-345. In parallel, Gibson has teased a Custom Shop reissue model inspired by the original Marty McFly ES-345, indicating the firm’s continued interest in reviving the guitar’s legacy even as the original remains lost [2].
Norman's Rare Guitars, where the ES-345 was purchased from, does not have it [3]. If anyone has seen a Cherry Red ES-345 from the early '60s with a solid inlay at the 12th fret, they should submit a tip at Lost To The Future [3].
In a recent development, Scott and Naomi Jones have officially joined Gibson's investigative team for the lost ES-345. They are using their skills and resources to help find this iconic piece of cinema history [1].
Meanwhile, Paul McCartney was reunited with his 1961 Hoefner bass in December 2023 after it was found in an attic in Sussex in September 2023 [6]. Scott and Naomi Jones successfully found the bass, and McCartney played it on the final date of his Got Back 2024 Tour at London's O2 Arena [6].
The search for the lost ES-345 continues, with the hope that it will one day be found and reunited with Michael J. Fox, just as Paul McCartney's Hoefner bass was reunited with him.
[1] https://www.gibson.com/en-US/News/2025/08/20/Gibson-Partners-with-Scott-and-Naomi-Jones-to-Help-Find-the-Lost-ES-345-Guitar-from-Back-to-the-Future [2] https://www.gibson.com/en-US/News/2025/07/28/Gibson-Announces-Custom-Shop-Reissue-of-the-Marty-McFly-ES-345 [3] https://www.gibson.com/en-US/News/2025/06/15/Gibson-Launches-Global-Search-for-the-Lost-ES-345-Guitar-from-Back-to-the-Future [4] https://www.gibson.com/en-US/News/2025/05/15/Gibson-s-Lost-to-the-Future-Project-Aims-to-Reunite-Michael-J-Fox-with-the-Guitar-He-Played-in-Back-to-the-Future [5] https://www.gibson.com/en-US/News/2025/03/31/Gibson-s-Lost-to-the-Future-Project-Update-March-2025 [6] https://www.gibson.com/en-US/News/2024/12/15/Paul-McCartney-Reunited-with-His-1961-Hoefner-Bass-after-It-Was-Found-in-an-Attic-in-Sussex-in-September-2023
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