Michael J. Fox jokes that someone is waiting out the statute of limitations on the theft of the Gibson ES-345 used in Back to the Future, as the brand continues its search for the historic instrument.

It's been almost 40 years since the iconic Gibson ES-345 Cherry Red appeared in the unforgettable “Enchantment Under the Sea” dance scene in the first Back to the Future film, released in 1985.

Since then, the guitar that Marty McFly played while performing “Johnny B. Goode” appears to have disappeared without a trace.

In his new book Future BoyMichael J. Fox explica who never imagined the value that the instrument would achieve: “I wish I could say I kept it, but I didn't have the foresight to see how valuable it would be,” he wrote.

"Unfortunately, someone did and took it. Whether it's in a private collection or stored in an attic, that person hasn't said a word," he added.

With irony, Fox comments: “Maybe they are waiting for the statute of limitations for the crime of theft of vintage guitars.”

It should be remembered that the guitar was lent by the store Norman’s Rare Guitarsafter the props team ruled out at the last minute using a Stratocaster o una Bigsby Gretsch.

This decision caused a historical anachronism, since the ES-345 model did not exist in 1955year in which the scene takes place. However, the technical detail did not prevent McFly's performance from inspiring generations of guitarists.

This year, coinciding with the film's 40th anniversary, Gibson launched a global search to locate the instrument. The brand turned to the team that managed to recover Paul McCartney's Höfner 500/1 bass, stolen decades ago.

Experts are confident in identifying the guitar thanks to a unique detail: the block inlay at the 12th fret, different from the usual one, which will allow us to rule out imitations or false clues.

Meanwhile, Gibson is preparing the documentary titled Lost to the Futurewhich narrates the investigation. However, Fox doubts that it will ever be released: “It looks like it will come out when the guitar appears, if that ever happens.”

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