Nadine guitars - 80s japanese clones

slugelise · November 2022

I bought a strat copy 2nd hand in the 80s, I still have it. However there's not much online about nadine guitars. I did manage to track down the importer - Dixie from Huddersfield via a mutual friend and get the story, interesting read I hope.

By the end of 1984 Fender Fullerton had closed down and there were no Fender guitars on the market. The Squier range had proved popular and these were "no more". The American manufacturers had been beaten up by the Japanese and now the Japanese were being beaten up by the Koreans.! Worth noting that the price point here was £200.00 The first Squiers were £225.00. When we introed Tokais they were £199.00. So we were all aware of the important £200.00 price point.

I thought that if I could find a ST style guitar to fill this gap I would have a winner. So on a visit to the Frankfurt MusicMesse in March 1985 I was on a hunt for said guitars. I came upon a Japanese distributor called " SANOX". The boss man's name was Sano-so he just added an X to his name. On his stand I found the guitars that I was looking for! I engaged in discussion with him and he understood me. I tactfully pointed out that the name SANOX was a little "off" for the UK-too sanitary!!! So I suggested that he supply me with a plain headstock. Due to the Japanese being beaten up by the Koreans he was happy to get any business.

I decided on 3 guitars-all 3 Strat style.

Standard. 3 single coils and chrome parts. Colours Black or White Price £199.00

Special. SSH pickups with black parts. Colours Black or White.£225.00

Blackstone. All black body and neck with black parts .3 single coils. Price £169.00

I decided on the name Nadine in "homage" to the 1965 Chuck Berry song "Nadine(Honey is that you)" This was a big song for us mid 60's as we played 8 nights a week in the 60's. This tied in with my promo stuff I had hang tags made with a silhouette of a girl with pony-tail and poodle skirt. This image was also in my ads.

I had the water slide decals made in Batley W. Yorks and my then teenage daughter applied these to the headstock for spending money.

First shipment was about 250 guitars. The Blackstone was not up to snuff-spotty finish, poor pickups etc and I did not repeat it. On the second shipment I had the Strats and this time P Bass and J Bass's. Colours again Black or White. £199.00 for the PB and £225.00 for the JB. Also on this shipment samples of the first trad Teles. I asked Sano to follow my spec-alnico pickups, ashtray bridge etc-which he did but we broke the price point.

The 3rd and final shipment in 1986 was entirely different. Only a few Strats But some HH with trem Teles and a few of the Trad Teles. I had some Spector copy basses with laminate necks and Ebonol boards,along with a pointy Jackson copy SSH with Floyd trem,laminate neck and Ebonol board.

This was the last shipment. Sano found the going tuff and disappeared for a while.

Which factory?. Honest truth is I don't know. Contrary to guitar myth the whole Japanese manufacturing was based on sub contracting.

jeztone2 · November 2022

Wow!!!

I almost bought a Special as a spotty 17 year old but ended up with a Yamaha RGX instead. It was an OK guitar. I thought the black hardware made it look like a Charvel.

Offset · November 2022

I'm afraid the name 'Nadine' only has one association for me.

Mad Nads.

bertie · November 2022

you know, now Ive read the OP properly, Im sure I do remember seeing some Sanox branded strats and possibly a LP - in a shop in Execeter - early/mid 80s - they had Toks as well - the name certainly rings a very dusty bell

guitars4you · November 2022

Dixie is without a doubt my best friend within the guitar industry - We go back nearly 45 years now - And yes I recall stocking and selling a few Nadine Strats back in the day - Funnily enough I've never seen one since - I saw the header and thought I might be able to add some info, then realised that Dixie had told you all you need to know

Think @HarrySeven has one

slugelise · November 2022

guitars4you said:

Dixie is without a doubt my best friend within the guitar industry - We go back nearly 45 years now - And yes I recall stocking and selling a few Nadine Strats back in the day - Funnily enough I've never seen one since - I saw the header and thought I might be able to add some info, then realised that Dixie had told you all you need to know

Think @HarrySeven has one

He is an utter gentleman according to our mutual friend.

richardhomer · November 2022

I remember Arthur Bird at Guitar Player in Rochdale stocking these. He also knew Dixie.

guitars4you · November 2022

richardhomer said:

I remember Arthur Bird at Guitar Player in Rochdale stocking these. He also knew Dixie.

It was good to see Arthur again at the guitar show - Will he be at Aintree again

HarrySeven · November 2022

guitars4you said:

Dixie is without a doubt my best friend within the guitar industry - We go back nearly 45 years now - And yes I recall stocking and selling a few Nadine Strats back in the day - Funnily enough I've never seen one since - I saw the header and thought I might be able to add some info, then realised that Dixie had told you all you need to know

Think @HarrySeven has one

Did have, but not at the moment.

richardhomer · November 2022

guitars4you said:

richardhomer said:

I remember Arthur Bird at Guitar Player in Rochdale stocking these. He also knew Dixie.

It was good to see Arthur again at the guitar show - Will he be at Aintree again

Not sure. I’ll get in touch with him.

FelineGuitars · November 2022

guitars4you said:

Dixie is without a doubt my best friend within the guitar industry - We go back nearly 45 years now - And yes I recall stocking and selling a few Nadine Strats back in the day - Funnily enough I've never seen one since - I saw the header and thought I might be able to add some info, then realised that Dixie had told you all you need to know

Think @HarrySeven has one

Didn't Dixie Kidd pass away a few years ago?

Or was it just retirement?

richardhomer · November 2022

FelineGuitars said:
Didn't Dixie Kidd pass away a few years ago?
Or was it just retirement?

Very much still with us. He had a stand at the Whitworth Guitar Show in June.

guitars4you · November 2022

richardhomer said:

FelineGuitars said:
Didn't Dixie Kidd pass away a few years ago?
Or was it just retirement?

Very much still with us. He had a stand at the Whitworth Guitar Show in June.

He retired a few years ago - As Richard said, he still exhibits at guitars shows now and then + sells the odd guitar via e-bay - I chat to him every 2/3 weeks

Lebarque · November 2022

My mate's girlfriend's best pal was called Nadine. Filth.

JayGee · November 2022

slugelise said:

guitars4you said:

Dixie is without a doubt my best friend within the guitar industry - We go back nearly 45 years now - And yes I recall stocking and selling a few Nadine Strats back in the day - Funnily enough I've never seen one since - I saw the header and thought I might be able to add some info, then realised that Dixie had told you all you need to know

Think @HarrySeven has one

He is an utter gentleman according to our mutual friend.

Is this the guy who used to run Dandelion Music in Huddersfield?

guitars4you · November 2022

JayGee said:

slugelise said:

guitars4you said:

Dixie is without a doubt my best friend within the guitar industry - We go back nearly 45 years now - And yes I recall stocking and selling a few Nadine Strats back in the day - Funnily enough I've never seen one since - I saw the header and thought I might be able to add some info, then realised that Dixie had told you all you need to know

Think @HarrySeven has one

He is an utter gentleman according to our mutual friend.

Is this the guy who used to run Dandelion Music in Huddersfield?

That was pre '78' time - But yes

PhilKing · November 2022

I used to know Dixie well from my days with JSG. When I was back in England in the mid 2000's I ran into him at some shows when I was helping out Tim at BKP. He was always a character and brought in some really interesting things. I think I got my EBow from him many years ago.

Mark, give him a hello from me and wish him well next time you talk. Thanks

guitars4you · November 2022

PhilKing said:

I used to know Dixie well from my days with JSG. When I was back in England in the mid 2000's I ran into him at some shows when I was helping out Tim at BKP. He was always a character and brought in some really interesting things. I think I got my EBow from him many years ago.

Mark, give him a hello from me and wish him well next time you talk. Thanks

I will do - I'll hopefully see him next week at the Aintree show - If not I'll speak to him during the work - he was a good friend of my dad as well and could chat for ages about jazz and the relevant 'hero's within this sector - Hence his name 'Dixie'

Sarge · November 2022

Seen many Sanox sunburst strats in cash converters and online, always looked a bit.... Argos to me.

menamestom · November 2022

I had a black Nadine Strat and it was great. Sold it to a mate, he still has it I think.

CharlieShaw · November 2022

I remember Dandelion music. I knew bloke who worked there called Mick Massey. This was after 78 though. Early 80s.

JohnS37 · November 2022

I bought a Sanox branded bass in about 1997, from a Liverpool secondhand shop for £50. It had been very crudely hand painted and bore some grotesque vinyl ghoul stickers. It was a strange shape, with a P-bass pickup and controls setup. I stripped it and painted it lipstick red. It played surprisingly well. I eventually sold in on eBay to someone who didn’t play but bought is as a birthday present for his mate - loved it apparently.

guitars4you · November 2022

CharlieShaw said:

I remember Dandelion music. I knew bloke who worked there called Mick Massey. This was after 78 though. Early 80s.

I’ll ask him if he recalls him

guitarjack66 · November 2022

Lebarque said:

My mate's girlfriend's best pal was called Nadine. Filth.

Do you still have her number? Asking for a friend!

slugelise · March 2023

one on ebay currently - £495

https://t.co/mItqPsrNSS

slugelise · September 2023

guitars4you said:

PhilKing said:

I used to know Dixie well from my days with JSG. When I was back in England in the mid 2000's I ran into him at some shows when I was helping out Tim at BKP. He was always a character and brought in some really interesting things. I think I got my EBow from him many years ago.

Mark, give him a hello from me and wish him well next time you talk. Thanks

I will do - I'll hopefully see him next week at the Aintree show - If not I'll speak to him during the work - he was a good friend of my dad as well and could chat for ages about jazz and the relevant 'hero's within this sector - Hence his name 'Dixie'

bumped into Dixie this morning at a guitar techs. He's looking well. Regailed us with tales of hank marvins off colour strat in the young ones, how only 24 were imported, 2 for the shadows and 22 to a guitar shop in glasgow,

Howdy, Stranger!

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Nadine guitars - 80s japanese clones

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