Shall we help find one of the most iconic guitars in history?

[andy474x]

Name a guitar that is responsible for getting, dare I say, as many young lads and lassies to pick up a guitar as BB King's Lucille, Jimi's Strat, or SRV's Number One...

But this guitar was never actually owned by a guitar hero?

Of course, Marvin Berry's Gibson ES-345 from the 1985 film "Back to the Future," famously played by Michael J. Fox as Marty McFly!!! Fun fact, the 345 wasn't actually introduced until 1958, but Marty played it in '55. The artistic director of the film took a little liberty with his choice, and I'd say it worked out.

Loads of guitarists, including today's guitar heroes like John Mayer, credit that iconic scene at the "Enchantment Under the Sea" dance with igniting their passion for electric guitar. Oh, and me, too!!!

"Back to the Future" is my favorite film of all time. PRS fanatics will also know about the blue CE that Marty played in the sequel, the guitar of the future... and here we are, living the future!

Somehow that ES-345, rented to the production by none other than Norm of Norm's Rare Guitars, has been lost to history. Perhaps in the back of a DeLorean buried deep in a mineshaft awaiting its recovery, or destroyed by an accident with a locomotive. Or, maybe even transferred to a parallel timeline.

Well, Gibson and the BTTF cast and producers are looking for it. Y'all know where it is? I think I'd cry tears of joy if I ever held it.

 

[sergiodeblanc]

The guitars were better in BTTF 2.

 

[bodia]

The guitars were better in BTTF 2.

Fact!

 

[rwandering]

When I saw this the other day, of course I thought of the recent successful search for McCartney's Hofner Beatle bass. But this search feels different. (aside from the obvious difference in the significance of the lost item).

This search feels to me like 100% Gibson marketing. I'm not saying there isn't really a search going on, but the "Stay Updated" form on the website appears to be a Gibson marketing email list form. Telling (and misleading to say the least).

My guess is that a Back to the Future/Lost to the Future special edition is in the works, and the people who sign up there will get some extra special directed marketing (plus all of the regular Gibson stuff).

 

[Zoot Allures]

When I saw this the other day, of course I thought of the recent successful search for McCartney's Hofner Beatle bass. But this search feels different. (aside from the obvious difference in the significance of the lost item).

This search feels to me like 100% Gibson marketing. I'm not saying there isn't really a search going on, but the "Stay Updated" form on the website appears to be a Gibson marketing email list form. Telling (and misleading to say the least).

My guess is that a Back to the Future/Lost to the Future special edition is in the works, and the people who sign up there will get some extra special directed marketing (plus all of the regular Gibson stuff).

This!!!

 

[Tony M.]

Too easy.

The guitar is trapped in a time loop between when it came out of
the factory in 1959 (335 came out in '58, 345 came out in '59)
and when Marty played it at the dance in 1955.

Everybody knows that.

(An interesting fact is that Marty playing the guitar in 1955 was the inspiration
for Gibson to come out with the 335 three years later.)

 

[László]

My Custom Shop '59 replica was pretty decent firewood.

 

[Iceman101]

I have a Chiquita. Unfortunately a red one

 

[Fill]

Long story, as short as I can make it: I used to go out to Long Island to have my amps repaired by a gentleman named "Jess Oliver", who's actual name was Oliver Jesperson, but everyone called him Jess, including his wife. Jess was an amp genius, and is the brains behind a lot of famous Ampeg amps, including the B-15 Portaflex and Reverbrocket. He eventually founded Oliver Sound, producing "Oliver" amps.

He had a wicked-cool late 40's/early 50's Gretsch Synchromatic 300 archtop on his shop wall... 13 layer binding front and back with some of the flamiest back, sides and neck I'd ever seen, and it sounded incredible. I haunted Jess endlessly about buying that guitar, and one day he finally caved in and sold it to me.
A month or so later, Im back at Jess's shop and he immediately tells me "oh man, Brian is pissed that you got that guitar from me"!! I was like "Brian?? Brian who"?? Jess replies "Brian Setzer... I repair his amps. He wants to know who YOU are cause he wants that guitar BAD".

I've always been a huge Brian Setzer fan, so my iconic guitar would be a Gretsch 6120. I bought a "Jim English" built 6120, which is one of the best guitars I have. Jim English's goal was to build a better 6120 than Gretsch built, and having played a few good 6120's, I'd say he succeeded. In fact, TV Jones "English mount" pickup was developed by none other than Jim English.

This guitar was built for Jim English's best friend "George" who was a firefighter. I actually called Jim's wife (Jim had passed by the time I got this guitar), and she gave me the info on this guitars history. Anyways, that's my "iconic guitar", inspired by one of my favorite players (Brian) from a relatively unknown but super skilled builder (Jim), in the hands of a not-so famous player (me).

This is a (lousy) pic of that Gretsch Synchromatic 300:

The "English" 6120... GOTTA call this one "Gorgeous George".

 

[Tony M.]

My iconic guitar?
A little Epiphone solid body.

I am the person who sold this guitar to Johnny.
It was before he went to the Firebirds.
While he was trying it out, he said to me,
"Why are you selling this? Good neck, great pickups."
It was his first mini humbucker guitar.
Then came the Firebirds.
Mini hums fill the gap between full size humbuckers and Firebird pickups.
I like to believe the guitar I sold to him was the "bridge" to the Firebirds.

 

[Wakester]

Name a guitar that is responsible for getting, dare I say, as many young lads and lassies to pick up a guitar as BB King's Lucille, Jimi's Strat, or SRV's Number One...

But this guitar was never actually owned by a guitar hero?

Of course, Marvin Berry's Gibson ES-345 from the 1985 film "Back to the Future," famously played by Michael J. Fox as Marty McFly!!! Fun fact, the 345 wasn't actually introduced until 1958, but Marty played it in '55. The artistic director of the film took a little liberty with his choice, and I'd say it worked out.

Loads of guitarists, including today's guitar heroes like John Mayer, credit that iconic scene at the "Enchantment Under the Sea" dance with igniting their passion for electric guitar. Oh, and me, too!!!

"Back to the Future" is my favorite film of all time. PRS fanatics will also know about the blue CE that Marty played in the sequel, the guitar of the future... and here we are, living the future!

Somehow that ES-345, rented to the production by none other than Norm of Norm's Rare Guitars, has been lost to history. Perhaps in the back of a DeLorean buried deep in a mineshaft awaiting its recovery, or destroyed by an accident with a locomotive. Or, maybe even transferred to a parallel timeline.

Well, Gibson and the BTTF cast and producers are looking for it. Y'all know where it is? I think I'd cry tears of joy if I ever held it.

I thought I heard at one time it was in Micheal J Fox's closet. Could be just a rumor though.

 

[JeffsRealm]

Dating myself but for me Kramer Barretta with the Kline Graphics. I owned 3 of them, still own 2, kick myself for selling the one. A lot of people have seen them and don't know it as they were the basis for so many old 80s metal. Eddie Van Halen, Vivian Campbell, Mick Mars, George Lynch the original skull carved guitar and several of his, Warren DeMartini, Dave “The Snake” Sabo just to name a few. These were done a lot by ESP factory back in the day and why those artists are now ESP artists but as far as history goes. All of mine have those 1/4 inch thick Brazilian rosewood fretboards as well as was the standard for high end guitars back then. I bought all of mine used at around $1100 back in the 80's. Which oddly the new ones which are not as good are cheaper. If you played guitar in the 80s you dreamed of the high end Kramer's.

LOL with EMG 85 or the Seymour Duncan JB as the only pickup was the Chef's Kiss.