This time around we subject Nick Greer of Greer Amps to our series of random interview questions for our regular Hi-Fives Feature. Get some top 5's from the man behind the Tarpit Fuzz, and the Southland and Lightspeed Overdrives.
Top 5 overdrives of all time.
- Greer Lightspeed (sorry, I just love that pedal).
- Way Huge Red Llama (original).
- Bondi Sick As.
- Nobels ODR-1
- Greer Ghetto Stomp (apologies again…it’s one of my go-to sounds).
Top 5 worst pedals ever made.
- Metalzone.
- Metalzone again (it’s just that bad).
- Ibanez Sountank series (your pedal can just shatter mid gig).
- Wah pedals at the wrong guitarist’s feet…not every single note needs some quack!
- MXR Blue Box.
Top 5 best things about running your own company.
- The ability to take things from ideas to finished products.
- Working with some of the best friends I’ve ever had.
- Watching orders come in and go out, and watching Greer Amps grow.
- Going to guitar stores I’ve always wanted to go to, as a “business” trip!
- Building something, or signing a big artist, and having that “oh yeahhhhhh” moment.
Top 5 dead musicians.
- Jeff Buckley
- Vic Chesnutt
- Roy Buchanan
- Levon Helm
- Wes Montgomery
Top 5 truck stop/impulse purchases.
- Taquitos (lots of them).
- A $3 rap CD that was handed to me in the parking lot of a Marathon station…the guy self-produced it…it’s actually pretty good—don’t judge me!
- 3 cans of Four Loko, and 5 honey buns…we were snowed in, and could only make it as far as the closest gas station. This combo will keep you alive…kinda.
- A trucker hat that says “Booty Hunter.”
- Beef jerky from Bucee’s…it’s like heaven in dried form.
Top 5 jobs if you weren’t building pedals and amps.
- Trail guide.
- Touring guitarist.
- Architect.
- Graphic designer.
- Woodworker.
Top 5 Athens Artists (all time).
- Five Eight
- Vic Chesnutt
- Dreams So Real
- Jet By Day
- Drive By Truckers (Jason Isbell)
Top 5 reasons to stay home.
- It’s snowing—this town shuts down, just stay inside.
- It’s 107 degrees outside, and the humidity is unbearable…again…stay inside.
- The sun is out, there’s a brand new bag of charcoal, and we just procured a 30 pack of PBR. It’s time to grill.
- It’s time for some decibel therapy, and there’s a 4x12 and a BA Ferguson SMT guitar that need to breathe fire.
- Bacon.
Top 5 pet peeves.
- Getting pedals in for “repair” that simply have a dead battery.
- Opening up a vintage amp for repair to find that some previous tech did a hack job on it.
- Chronic complainers.
- Politicians…of all kinds…they’re professional liars.
- Taxes.
Top 5 things people don’t know about your company.
- We’ve designed for a lot of other companies.
- We work with wayyyy more artists than our “artist” page reflects on our website.
- We have a hot dog roller in the shop, and it’s glorious.
- Nick’s dad (Big Ronnie) drills all of the pedal enclosures, and always has.
- Everything started on Big Ronnie’s pool table.
Top 5 things about living in Athens, GA.
- It’s a great mix of people.
- The local music scene is amazing.
- Great food, and the beer flows like wine.
- Football season is always interesting…go dawgs!
- Jittery Joe’s Coffee is the best on the planet, and it’s right down the road from the shop!
