The Catalinbread Dirty Little Secret Mk2 is a Catalinbread overdrive pedal. Close alternatives include the Cusack Music Metaplexi and the MXR Timmy Overdrive. It pairs well with the Laney LX20R and the PRS HX 50 Head.

Catalinbread Dirty Little Secret Mk2

Catalinbread · pedal

The Catalinbread Dirty Little Secret Mk2 is the second-generation Marshall Superlead-inspired overdrive from Portland, Oregon, improving on the original DLS with refined dynamics, improved gain staging, and a more versatile EQ section while preserving the original Plexi-inspired harmonic character. The Mk2 circuit delivers the natural compression, harmonic complexity, and British midrange authority of pushed Plexi-era Marshall amplifiers with improved control over the gain response. Made in Portland by Catalinbread.

What stands out

  • “Works best into where the Mk2 provides the Marshall character”

    — from the community notes

  • “Improved second-generation Marshall Superlead overdrive with refined dynamics and gain staging over the original DLS, preserving the Plexi harmonic character while adding EQ flexibility and gain control refinement”

    — from the community notes

  • “The harmonic character and Plexi-inspired saturation are preserved from the original, while the Mk2 improvements add more consistent gain tracking across the control range and improved low-end response at high gain settings”

    — from the reviews

  • “The Catalinbread Dirty , Oregon, improving on the original DLS with refined dynamics, improved gain staging, and a more versatile EQ section while…”

    — from the listing

  • “Used for classic British rock, blues-rock, and vintage rock lead applications where the Plexi character is the sonic goal, with the Mk2 refinements improving versatility and control”

    — from the community notes

  • harmonic
  • gain
  • dynamic
  • british
  • response
  • dirty
  • saturation
  • harmonic richness

Genres the Catalinbread Dirty Little Secret Mk2 is commonly used in

  • Rock
  • Blues Rock
  • Alternative
    citedInferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
  • Blues
    citedInferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
  • Classic Rock
    citedInferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
  • Hard Rock
    citedInferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.

Amps that pair well with the Catalinbread Dirty Little Secret Mk2

Laney LX20R

Laney

38% match

The Dirty Little Secret's dynamic, British-voiced gain pushes the LX20R's own bedroom-practice drive further.

Comes later in the signal chain

PRS HX 50 Head

PRS

35% match
$2899via Reverb

Catalinbread Dirty Little Secret Mk2 is voiced for Marshall-style amps — PRS HX 50 Head gives it exactly that

Comes later in the signal chain

Laney GH100L

Laney

34% match

Laney GH100L leans this transparent tone toward low gain, which it doesn't make on its own

Comes later in the signal chain

Marshall JCM900 2100

Marshall

33% match
$799.95via Reverb

fills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (transparent → mid-forward)

Marshall JCM900 2100 leans this transparent tone toward mid-forward, which it doesn't make on its own

Comes later in the signal chain

Hiwatt HB410HN

Hiwatt

33% match

Into Hiwatt HB410HN, Catalinbread Dirty Little Secret Mk2 is right at home: it's built around Marshall-style amps

Comes later in the signal chain

Hiwatt HB210HN

Hiwatt

32% match

Catalinbread Dirty Little Secret Mk2's own voicing points at Marshall-style amps, and Hiwatt HB210HN delivers it

Comes later in the signal chain

Orange Rockerverb 50 MkIII Neo Combo

Orange

32% match
$2876.43via Reverb

Into Orange Rockerverb 50 MkIII Neo Combo, Catalinbread Dirty Little Secret Mk2 is right at home: it's built around Marshall-style amps

Comes later in the signal chain

Marshall AVT 20 Valvestate 2000

Marshall

31% match
$173via Reverb

Catalinbread Dirty Little Secret Mk2's own harmonically rich character is the real reason this is worth trying

Comes later in the signal chain

See all 27 amps that pair with the Catalinbread Dirty Little Secret Mk2 →

Pedals that stack with the Catalinbread Dirty Little Secret Mk2

Klon Centaur

Klon

27% match
$4000via Reverb

Stack the Klon's clear midrange boost with the DLS Mk2's own dynamic, British dirty gain for two distinct shades of push.

ProCo RAT 2

Proco

23% match
$86via Reverb

ProCo RAT 2 leans this transparent tone toward low gain, which it doesn't make on its own

Comes later in the signal chain

MXR Dyna Comp

MXR

18% match
$74.99via Reverb

fills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (transparent → mid-forward)

Ahead of the DLS Mk2, the Dyna Comp's squash keeps the attack consistent before that dynamic, British dirty gain ever colors it.

Comes earlier in the signal chain

EarthQuaker Devices Grand Orbiter

EarthQuaker Devices

17% match
$199via Reverb

sits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.

Put EarthQuaker Devices Grand Orbiter after Catalinbread Dirty Little Secret Mk2 in the signal chain, clear of Catalinbread Dirty Little Secret Mk2's own gain stage

Comes later in the signal chain

Meris Polymoon

Meris

10% match
$299via Reverb

sits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.

Keep Catalinbread Dirty Little Secret Mk2's harmonically rich voice out front: Meris Polymoon goes after Catalinbread Dirty Little Secret Mk2 in the signal chain so its modulated voice doesn't muddy it — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)

Comes later in the signal chain

Dawner Prince Boonar

Dawner Prince

10% match

sits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.

The Boonar's vintage studio delay trails the DLS Mk2's dynamic, British dirty gain with real saturation to echo. — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)

Comes later in the signal chain

Dr. Scientist Frazz Dazzler V2

Dr Scientist

tonal match
$204.36via Reverb

Comes later in the signal chain

Into a transparent tone, Dr. Scientist Frazz Dazzler V2 brings a pull toward fuzzy that's missing

Donner Big Mouth Distortion

Donner

tonal match
$29.95via Reverb

Comes later in the signal chain

Into a transparent tone, Donner Big Mouth Distortion brings a pull toward high gain that's missing

Alternativessee all similar tone character →

Cusack Music Metaplexi

Cusack Music

66% similarity
$195via Reverb

Shared character: gain, high gain settings, full

MXR Timmy Overdrive

MXR

53% similarity
$140.21via Reverb

Shared character: original, clarity, gain

Diezel Herbert Overdrive/Distortion/Preamp

Diezel

51% similarity

Shared character: clarity, gain, high gain settings

Godlyke Ibanez TS9 Tamura-Mod

Godlyke

51% similarity

Similar voicing: dynamic, harmonically rich

JHS Pedals JHS Kilt V3

JHS Pedals

50% similarity

Shared character: gain

Warm Audio ODD Box V1

Warm Audio

50% similarity
$89.99via Reverb

Shared character: high gain settings, original, tight tracking

JAM Pedals TubeDreamer MK2

Jam Pedals

49% similarity
$250.46via Reverb

Shared character: high gain settings, circuit, gain

Diezel VH4V2

Diezel

49% similarity
$299.99via Reverb

Shared character: high gain settings, full

Marshall Guv'nor

Marshall

49% similarity
$106via Reverb

Shared character: high gain settings, full

Behringer OD300 Overdrive Distortion

Behringer

49% similarity
$29.83via Reverb

Shared character: high gain settings, tight tracking, circuit

Sonicake MiniLane Shark Classic Crunch Distortion

Sonicake

49% similarity
$43.98via Reverb

Shared character: high gain settings

Wampler Pedals Tweed '57

Wampler

48% similarity

Shared character: high gain settings, clarity, gain

See all alternatives to the Catalinbread Dirty Little Secret Mk2 (cheaper + boutique) →

Questions people ask

What are good alternatives to the Catalinbread Dirty Little Secret Mk2?+

The closest matches in character are the Cusack Music Metaplexi, the MXR Timmy Overdrive, the Diezel Herbert Overdrive/Distortion/Preamp.

What pairs well with the Catalinbread Dirty Little Secret Mk2?+

Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: Laney LX20R, PRS HX 50 Head, Laney GH100L — The Dirty Little Secret's dynamic, British-voiced gain pushes the LX20R's own bedroom-practice drive further..

Compare

Related searches