Catalinbread Dirty Little Secret MKII

$188.95 Price Tier: Standard

5.0 (5)

1 Review

This product is Vintage or Discontinued

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Catalinbread Dirty Little Secret MKIII

$140.00 - $179.99

4.5 (30)

0 wishlisted

3 saved

Page last updated Jun 27, 2026

Pricing and availability

We compare 600+ stores and found this item at 1 store. Prices updated June 27, 2026.

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4.0 (7)

$188.95 3 available New

$84.00 10 available Used

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Average Price: $166

Standard/Professional

$80

$181+

Price Tier

In the Distortion Effects Pedals category, Catalinbread Dirty Little Secret MKII is priced in the upper end of the Standard/Professional range. This is quality gear at a fair price point, suitable for beginners, hobbyists, and pros alike.

Budget

Standard

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Description

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Dive into the realm of iconic tones with the Catalinbread Dirty Little Secret MKII, your compact solution to achieving the legendary Marshall tube amplifier sound. Designed for versatility, this pedal effortlessly transitions from subtle clean boosts to aggressive, high-gain distortion, catering to rock, blues, and metal enthusiasts alike. With its intuitive controls for Presence, Fullness, Master, and Preamp, shaping your ideal sound has never been easier or more satisfying. Whether you're riffing at home or rocking out on stage, the Dirty Little Secret MKII promises to be your go-to for that classic, sought-after tone.

Key Features:

Compact design seamlessly integrates into any pedalboard setup.
Offers a wide range of tones from clean boosts to heavy metal distortion.
Intuitive controls include Presence, Fullness, Master, and Preamp for precise sound shaping.
Inspired by the classic Marshall tube amplifier tones.
Ideal for genres ranging from rock and blues to metal.

Product specs

Brand	Catalinbread
Model	Dirty Little Secret MKII
Finish	Black, Purple
Year	2010s
Made In	United States
Categories	Overdrive and Boost Pedals

FAQs

What type of sound does the Catalinbread Dirty Little Secret MKII aim to emulate?: The Catalinbread Dirty Little Secret MKII is designed to emulate the classic Marshall amplifier tones, providing a rich, dynamic "amp-in-a-box" experience with authentic British overdrive sounds.
Is the Catalinbread Dirty Little Secret MKII suitable for both live performance and studio recording?: Yes, the Dirty Little Secret MKII is versatile enough for both live performances and studio recording, offering consistent and reliable Marshall-style tones in various settings.
Does the Catalinbread Dirty Little Secret MKII work well with other pedals?: The Dirty Little Secret MKII integrates smoothly with other pedals, making it a great choice for building complex pedalboards without compromising tone.
What power supply does the Catalinbread Dirty Little Secret MKII require?: The Catalinbread Dirty Little Secret MKII requires a standard 9V DC power supply, which is typical for most guitar effects pedals.
Can the Catalinbread Dirty Little Secret MKII be used with both single-coil and humbucker pickups?: Yes, the Dirty Little Secret MKII is designed to work well with both single-coil and humbucker pickups, providing great tonal flexibility regardless of your guitar's configuration.

Videos

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Catalinbread Dirty Little Secret MKII | Reverb Demo Video

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PROS

Emulates classic British crunch of late-60's/early-70's Marshall amps
Effective as an "amp-in-a-box" for those needing versatile stage options
Offers a broad range of distortion, from mild to intense
Solid mid-pushed tone reminiscent of a Marshall JTM45
Works well for direct recording setups with a speaker simulator

CONS

High-end tone can be overly "toppy" without external EQ adjustment
Presence knob lacks the ability to roll off high end, only adds more
May not stack well with other pedals
Some similarly-priced or cheaper options could offer comparable or better performance

Owner Insights

We analyzed real musician discussions from forums and Reddit to find what players love, question, and tweak about Catalinbread Dirty Little Secret MKII.

Use cases and applications

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Running the Dirty Little Secret MKII at 18V into the effects return can improve sound quality, though it requires additional switching equipment.
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The Dirty Little Secret stacks well with various drive pedals, including high-gain options like the Revv G3, enhancing versatility for genres like doom, blues, and ambient.
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Comparisons

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The Boss DS1 with Keeley Mod is preferred by some users over the Dirty Little Secret MKII for its tone and lower price.
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Wampler Plexidrive, Plextortion, and Pinnacle are suggested as alternatives for those seeking different Marshall tones.
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The Dirty Little Secret is praised for its amp-like qualities, particularly when compared to other high-gain amp-in-a-box pedals sought for modern metal tones.
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User experience

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The Dirty Little Secret MKII is noted for excelling when used as a foundation overdrive with fuzz pedals, particularly into clean amps like a Princeton Reverb.
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Users appreciate the Dirty Little Secret's ability to integrate smoothly into complex pedalboards, contributing to a flexible and comprehensive setup.
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Features and functionality

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Owners report that the Catalinbread Dirty Little Secret excels in delivering amp-like vintage sounds, especially in the Super Bass setting when run at 18V.
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5.0 out of 5

Based on 1 Review and 5 Ratings

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rocknaventa

210

over 8 years ago

Best "Marshall In A Box" Pedals

Melhor pedal "Marshall In A Box" pra quem precisa de uma alternativa de palco quando não se pode escolher o amplificador ;-)

The Dirty Little Secret MkII (DLS MkII) was designed to be the secret weapon in your tone arsenal. Want to get cranked amp tones at bedroom rocker levels? Playing gigs but have to use whatever amp is provided as the backline? Like your clean amp sound but do not care about its overdrive channel? Enter the Dirty Little Secret!

Roles:

Singer Guitarist Composer

Genres:

Rock Pop Latin