This week's edition of the Hi-Fives has us talking to Chase Bliss Audio mastermind Joel Korte. Have a read and get his take on our mini interview of random top 5's.
Top 5 reasons to start your own company
1. “Follow Your Bliss.”
2. You have an opportunity to take a chance on something that is meaningful to you.
3. You can make your own schedule that works for your life.
4. The only people I need to answer to are my customers (and my wife).
5. Makes your brother proud.
Top 5 things about running your own company
1. Work that is typically “not fun” is still rewarding.
2. I can work on circuits that other companies would be convinced wouldn’t sell.
3. I love to talk directly to customers who are using my pedals.
4. It’s fun to see how your hard work directly influences your success.
5. Beers on Friday.
Top 5 vintage circuits
1. Mu-Tron Phasor II
2. Foxrox – Paradox (discontinued several years ago, not sure if it is considered ‘vintage’)
3. Maestro – Echoplex
4. Roland – Space Echo
5. Boss – VB2
Top 5 current pedals you wish you’d come up with
1. ZVEX – Lo-Fi Loop Junky
2. Montreal Assembly – Count To Five
3. EarthQuaker Devices – Bit Commander
4. Caroline Guitar Company – Kilobyte
5. Red Panda – Particle
Top 5 pedals you wished nobody had come up with
1. Klone(s)
2. Klone(s)
3. Klone(s)
4. Klone(s)
5. Klone(s)
Top 5 books to read
1. Steven King – Dark Tower Series
2. Jack Kerouac – On The Road
3. Kurt Vonnegut – Player Piano
4. David Mitchell – Black Swan Green
5. Richard Bachmann (Stephen King) – The Long Walk
Top 5 songs people would be surprised to hear you like
1. Kendrick Lamar – Bitch Don’t Kill My Vibe
2. Carly Rae Jepsen – Call Me Maybe
3. Kanye West – Diamonds From Sierra Leone
4. Christina Perry – A Thousand Years
5. Miley Cyrus – Party in the USA (that’s my jam)
Top 5 things people don’t know about your company
1. My name is not “Chase Bliss” – I named my company after my brother, who died by way of a drunk driver in 2007.
2. Even though I sell expensive pedals, I don’t make very much money.
3. It’s a *LOT* more expensive to design and manufacture a complex digitally control all-analog handmade design in limited quantities in the USA then it is to make a clone overseas, and the retail cost reflects that.
4. My pedals can actually be pretty easy to use/learn.
5. As of right now, I work out of my basement and am largely a solo operation (my parents are retired and they help out a ton).
Top 5 things to do on a weekend
1. Go for walks with my baby son and my wife
2. Drink a tasty IPA
3. See a local show, nerd out with like-minded individuals about effects
4. Leave my cellphone behind (need to do this more, secret to happiness)
5. Go to a horse race, drink tasty IPAs at said horse race
Top 5 prized possessions
1. My brother’s favorite shirt
2. 90’s purple mexistrat (first guitar)
3. A good pair of moccasins is key
4. I really like my Salvage Custom Shop pedalboards
5. My wedding ring (it’s cheap, but you know, symbolism!)
