{"id":23715,"date":"2025-08-06T22:52:43","date_gmt":"2025-08-06T22:52:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/guitarmadrid.com\/?p=23715"},"modified":"2025-08-06T22:52:43","modified_gmt":"2025-08-06T22:52:43","slug":"weve-had-to-bring-in-some-help-gibson-hires-the-investigative-journalists-who-helped-find-paul-mccartneys-lost-hofner-violin-bass-to-aid-the-hunt-for-the-missing-b","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/guitarmadrid.com\/es\/2025\/08\/06\/weve-had-to-bring-in-some-help-gibson-hires-the-investigative-journalists-who-helped-find-paul-mccartneys-lost-hofner-violin-bass-to-aid-the-hunt-for-the-missing-b\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201cWe\u2019ve had to bring in some help\u201d: Gibson hires the investigative journalists who helped find Paul McCartney\u2019s lost H\u00f6fner violin bass to aid the hunt for the missing Back to the Future ES-345"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"article-body\">\n<p>Gibson\u2019s Mark Agnesi has issued an update on <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.guitarworld.com\/gear\/electric-guitars\/gibson-launches-worldwide-search-for-back-to-the-future-es-345\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.guitarworld.com\/gear\/electric-guitars\/gibson-launches-worldwide-search-for-back-to-the-future-es-345\">the firm\u2019s search for the missing Back to the Future guitar<\/a>, and it\u2019s drafting in the big guns to help bring the iconic ES-345 home.<\/p>\n<p>The search, coinciding with the 40th anniversary of the film\u2019s release, was announced in early June, and Gibson has since been inundated with tip-offs from the guitar community. That led to a first update, <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.guitarworld.com\/gear\/electric-guitars\/gibson-offers-new-clues-in-the-search-for-the-back-to-the-future-guitar\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.guitarworld.com\/gear\/electric-guitars\/gibson-offers-new-clues-in-the-search-for-the-back-to-the-future-guitar\">revealing a key feature of the guitar that will help narrow down the mammoth search<\/a>.<\/p>\n<aside data-block-type=\"embed\" data-render-type=\"fte\" data-skip=\"dealsy\" data-widget-type=\"seasonal\" class=\"hawk-base\" \/>\n<p>The guitar was borrowed from <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.guitarworld.com\/search?searchTerm=Norman%E2%80%99s+Rare+Guitars\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.guitarworld.com\/search?searchTerm=Norman%E2%80%99s+Rare+Guitars\">Norman\u2019s Rare Guitars<\/a> for use in the film\u2019s legendary \u2018Enchantment Under the Sea\u2019 dance scene. The ES-345 was wielded by Michael J. Fox\u2019s Marty McFly to shred <em>Johnny B. Goode<\/em> in front of a shellshocked audience \u2013 and inspired <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.guitarworld.com\/tag\/john-mayer\" data-auto-tag-linker=\"true\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.guitarworld.com\/tag\/john-mayer\">John Mayer<\/a> and <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.rollingstone.co.uk\/music\/chris-martin-says-back-to-the-future-inspired-him-to-start-coldplay-9323\/\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.rollingstone.co.uk\/music\/chris-martin-says-back-to-the-future-inspired-him-to-start-coldplay-9323\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-hl-processed=\"none\">Coldplay\u2019s Chris Martin<\/a> to pick up the guitar \u2013 but hasn\u2019t been seen since. Gibson, however, might have just played its trump card.<\/p>\n<aside data-component-name=\"Recirculation:ArticleRiver\" data-nosnippet=\"\" class=\"clear-both pt-3 pb-4 mb-4 border-solid border-y border-neutral-300\"><span class=\"font-article-heading block pb-3 !text-base font-bold uppercase sm:text-sm text-[#333]\">You may like<\/span><\/aside>\n<p>\u201cIt has been hard to keep up with the submission,\u201d Agnesi reveals. \u201cSo hard, we&#8217;ve actually had to bring in some help. We&#8217;re very, very, excited about this: we&#8217;ve brought in Scott and Naomi Jones, two investigative journalists. You may know them from <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.guitarworld.com\/news\/paul-mccartney-hofner-500-1-violin-lost-bass-project\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.guitarworld.com\/news\/paul-mccartney-hofner-500-1-violin-lost-bass-project\">The Lost Bass Project<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>That project, launched in 2022, helped find <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.guitarworld.com\/tag\/paul-mccartney\" data-auto-tag-linker=\"true\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.guitarworld.com\/tag\/paul-mccartney\">Paul McCartney<\/a>&#8216;s one-of-a-kind H\u00f6fner violin <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.guitarworld.com\/features\/best-bass-guitars-for-every-budget\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.guitarworld.com\/features\/best-bass-guitars-for-every-budget\">bass<\/a>, used on early singles including <em>Love Me Do<\/em> and <em>She Loves You<\/em>, 50 years after it went missing. It was ultimately <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.guitarworld.com\/news\/paul-mccartney-hofner-violin-bass-found-after-50-years\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.guitarworld.com\/news\/paul-mccartney-hofner-violin-bass-found-after-50-years\">found collecting dust in an English attic<\/a> \u2013 wherever else \u2013 and <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.guitarworld.com\/artists\/guitarists\/paul-mccartney-ronnie-wood-ringo-starr-hofner-bass-london-2024\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.guitarworld.com\/artists\/guitarists\/paul-mccartney-ronnie-wood-ringo-starr-hofner-bass-london-2024\">has since returned to the stage in McCartney\u2019s hands<\/a>. If they can\u2019t bring the chase to an end, it might just be gone forever.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe person who has this guitar may not know that they have it,\u201d Agnesi adds. \u201cSo if you\u2019ve got guitars around the house, open the case, take a picture, and send it to <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"mailto:info@losttothefuture.com\">info@losttothefuture.com<\/a>, and we\u2019ll help identify the guitar.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Agnesi, whose guitar journey also began after watching Back to the Future, has also addressed a key detail that has thus far not been mentioned: what happens when the guitar is found?<\/p>\n<p> {        window.reliablePageLoad.then(() =&gt; {            var componentContainer = document.querySelector(&#8220;#slice-container-newsletterForm-articleInbodyContent-RJZ3Uny2cQkzQvWfbYB9EY&#8221;);            if (componentContainer) {                var data = {&#8220;layout&#8221;:&#8221;inbodyContent&#8221;,&#8221;header&#8221;:&#8221;Get The Pick Newsletter&#8221;,&#8221;tagline&#8221;:&#8221;All the latest guitar news, interviews, lessons, reviews, deals and more, direct to your inbox!&#8221;,&#8221;formFooterText&#8221;:&#8221;By submitting your information you agree to the <a href=\"https:\/\/futureplc.com\/terms-conditions\/\" target=\"_blank\">Terms &amp; Conditions<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/futureplc.com\/privacy-policy\/\" target=\"_blank\">Privacy Policy<\/a> and are aged 16 or over.&#8221;,&#8221;successMessage&#8221;:{&#8220;body&#8221;:&#8221;Thank you for signing up. 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Fox. That scene was so important to so many kids from that generation, myself included.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"youtube-video youtube-facade\" data-nosnippet=\"\">\n<div class=\"video-aspect-box\">\n<div class=\"watch-on-iframe-bLGyRgnC-c0\" data-yt-video-token=\"bLGyRgnC-c0\" title=\"LATEST Update on Marty McFly's Missing Gibson Guitar in 88-Seconds or Less | Lost To The Future - YouTube\"><span class=\"youtube-video-title\">LATEST Update on Marty McFly&#8217;s Missing Gibson Guitar in 88-Seconds or Less | Lost To The Future &#8211; YouTube<\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" data-src=\"https:\/\/img.youtube.com\/vi\/bLGyRgnC-c0\/maxresdefault.jpg\" alt=\"LATEST Update on Marty McFly's Missing Gibson Guitar in 88-Seconds or Less | Lost To The Future - YouTube\" data-aspect-ratio=\"16\/9\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"lazyload\" \/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a class=\"watch-on-youtube-bLGyRgnC-c0\" href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/bLGyRgnC-c0\" target=\"_blank\" data-url=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/bLGyRgnC-c0\" data-hl-processed=\"none\">Watch On <\/a><\/div>\n<p>That suggests that there will either be a fairly tidy amount of compensation to the owner, or that Gibson solely wants to borrow the guitar for a while, shoot some heartwarming promo, and return the instrument, having put the saga to bed.<\/p>\n<p><a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.guitarworld.com\/gear\/electric-guitars\/michael-j-fox-gibson-back-to-the-future-guitar-search\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.guitarworld.com\/gear\/electric-guitars\/michael-j-fox-gibson-back-to-the-future-guitar-search\">Fox has spoken about how he used the scene to honor a score of his biggest guitar heroes<\/a>, while Norman Harris has revealed the faux pas made by the props team that means, fittingly, the guitar used in the scene <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.guitarworld.com\/features\/marty-mcflys-back-to-the-future-gibson-es-345-was-actually-from-the-future\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.guitarworld.com\/features\/marty-mcflys-back-to-the-future-gibson-es-345-was-actually-from-the-future\">also has time-traveling abilities<\/a>. Interestingly, a <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.guitarworld.com\/news\/back-to-the-future-fender-strat-instead-of-gibson-es-345\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.guitarworld.com\/news\/back-to-the-future-fender-strat-instead-of-gibson-es-345\">Stratocaster was almost used<\/a>, but a last-ditch change brought the ES-345 to set instead.<\/p>\n<p>The search is also being documented for a future film. Readers with information regarding the guitar\u2019s whereabouts can visit <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"http:\/\/losttothefuture.com\" target=\"_blank\" data-url=\"http:\/\/losttothefuture.com\" data-hl-processed=\"none\">losttothefuture.com<\/a> for more details.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Gibson\u2019s Mark Agnesi has issued an update on the firm\u2019s search for the missing Back to the Future guitar, and it\u2019s drafting in the big guns to help bring the iconic ES-345 home. The search, coinciding with the 40th anniversary of the film\u2019s release, was announced in early June, and Gibson has since been inundated [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":23716,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-23715","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-events"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/guitarmadrid.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23715","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/guitarmadrid.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/guitarmadrid.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/guitarmadrid.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23715"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/guitarmadrid.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23715\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":23717,"href":"https:\/\/guitarmadrid.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23715\/revisions\/23717"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/guitarmadrid.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/23716"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/guitarmadrid.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23715"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/guitarmadrid.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23715"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/guitarmadrid.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23715"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}