October 21st, 2015, arrived, marking the future date visited by Marty McFly and Dr. Emmett Brown in “Back to the Future II.” While fans might have been waiting for self-lacing shoes and hoverboards, for guitar enthusiasts, there’s always been a different point of fascination: the guitar Marty McFly wields during his electrifying rendition of “Johnny B. Goode” at the Enchantment Under the Sea dance in the original “Back to the Future” movie.
In this unforgettable scene, Michael J. Fox, portraying Marty, shreds on a visually striking cherry red Gibson ES-345 TDC with a Bigsby vibrato. However, eagle-eyed guitar aficionados quickly noticed a temporal paradox. According to the “Vintage Guitar Price Guide,” this specific model wasn’t available until 1959. The movie is set in 1955. So, how did this futuristic guitar end up in the hands of a time-traveling teenager in the mid-’50s?
To unravel this musical mystery, we turn to Norman Harris, the owner of the legendary Norm’s Rare Guitars. It was Norm himself who rented the now-iconic guitar to the movie production. He provides the behind-the-scenes story of how this anachronistic axe journeyed back to 1955.
Back in 1984, Norm Harris received a call from Warner Bros.’ prop department. They were working on a film set in 1955 and needed a guitar. “They wanted a guitar that looked slightly futuristic,” Harris recalls. Initially, Harris suggested a period-correct option: a Gibson ES-5 Switchmaster equipped with P-90 pickups. This model would have been accurate for the era. The prop department rented this ES-5 Switchmaster, which was in excellent condition and valued at $2,100 at the time, for $300 a week. The initial rental was planned for one to two weeks, but it extended to nine weeks, and surprisingly, the studio hadn’t even opened the guitar case. Harris suggested purchasing the guitar might be more economical at that point, but he was assured budget was not an issue.
Then, the production’s vision shifted.
The art director, Todd Hallowell, had a different aesthetic in mind. He wanted something visually striking, specifically “something red with a whammy.” Harris informed them that no such guitar would be historically accurate for 1955. However, historical accuracy wasn’t the primary concern for the art director. He was willing to take “artistic license” and inquired about what red guitars with vibratos Norm had in stock.
Norm presented several options, including various Gretsch models like the 6120 and Red Jet series. He also showcased an early 1960s Gibson ES-345 TDC with a Bigsby. This ES-345, with its vibrant cherry red finish and eye-catching vibrato, was undeniably visually appealing, even if it was chronologically misplaced by four years. “Maybe because it was a time-travel sci-fi flick, they could get away with that kind of stuff,” Harris muses. He contrasted this with a film striving for historical accuracy, like “Bound for Glory,” where such anachronisms would be far more noticeable. As Hollywood lore dictates, sometimes “the truth is no excuse for a bad story,” and in this case, for a visually impactful scene. The ES-345 was chosen. Interestingly, despite being selected, the guitar remained unused for weeks, continuing to accrue rental fees for Norm’s Rare Guitars. The studio remained unfazed by the mounting costs. “They could have bought it several times over, but it never bothered them. One of the many positives renting to Hollywood? Money’s no object,” Harris notes.
Weeks after the initial rental period, the studio contacted Norm again, requesting the ES-345 once more. They needed it for insert shots and close-ups, keeping it for an additional three weeks.
Years later, when “Back to the Future Part II” went into production, the studio again contacted Norm, specifically requesting the same ES-345. “By now they were married to the guitar,” Harris explains. Even more so than before, budget was no concern. It was during this sequel rental that Harris realized the lucrative potential of renting instruments to film productions. The “Back To The Future Guitar,” despite its historical inaccuracy, had become an integral part of movie history. “That guitar’s an important piece of movie history because the film was a blockbuster and rightly viewed as a modern classic, even with the incorrect guitar.”
Despite the ES-345’s significance in film and popular culture, Harris admits he doesn’t recall the specific circumstances of acquiring it. He recounts his time as a traveling musician, frequently connecting with musician’s unions, players, and collectors to source instruments. “I got a lot of instruments that way,” he says, suggesting the ES-345 likely came to him through similar channels.
While the “Back to the Future” Gibson ES-345 is a celebrated example of cinematic anachronism, Norm Harris has also been instrumental in ensuring period-correct instruments appear in other films. He highlights his work on the 1975 film “Bound for Glory,” the biopic of Woody Guthrie, where he meticulously selected historically accurate instruments. He contrasts this dedication to accuracy with other productions, recalling, “Even in ‘The Buddy Holly’ story, the Strat Gary Busey used had a big headstock, like ‘70s Strat!” Harris points out a common Hollywood assumption: “Movie producers just figured nobody really knows guitars that well.” However, he wryly observes the inconsistency: “But they wouldn’t put a car from 1979 in a movie set in 1955!”
The story of the “Back to the Future guitar” serves as a fascinating anecdote about the intersection of film, music history, and sometimes, artistic license trumping historical precision. While the Gibson ES-345 wasn’t a product of 1955, its presence in such a beloved and iconic movie has cemented its place in pop culture history, proving that sometimes, a little anachronism can contribute to cinematic magic.
