The Crazy Tube Circuits Clean Little Secret is a Crazy Tube Circuits overdrive pedal, currently around $243.91. Close alternatives include the Greer Southland and the Fulltone OCD V2. It pairs well with the Mesa Boogie Mark IIC+ Combo and the Synergy SL2 Module.
Crazy Tube Circuits Clean Little Secret
Crazy Tube Circuits · pedal
The Crazy Tube Circuits Clean Little Secret is a boutique overdrive from the Greek manufacturer providing transparent, amp-like overdrive with low coloration and high dynamic response. Designed to operate in the clean-to-lightly-driven range where the guitar character is preserved and the overdrive adds harmonic content without heavy tonal signature. Part of the CTC Greek boutique lineup known for premium component quality and natural dynamic response. Made in Greece by Crazy Tube Circuits.
What stands out
“The Crazy Tube Circuits Clean , amp-like overdrive with low coloration and high dynamic response”
— from the listing
“designed to operate in the clean-to-lightly-driven range where the guitar character is preserved and the overdrive adds harmonic content”
— from the listing
“At maximum gain the overdrive character is light and natural”
— from the reviews
“The Clean : subtle, transparent overdrive that does”
— from the reviews
“The transparency and dynamic response make it effective as an always-on tone enhancer or a subtle solo boost”
— from the community notes
Trade-offs
“and clean-to-light-crunch rock applications where preserving the fundamental guitar character with subtle harmonic enrichment is the goal”
— from the community notes
- dynamic response
- harmonic
- overdrive
- transparent
- subtle
- boutique
- lightly driven
- boost
Price updated Oct 23, 2026
Genres the Crazy Tube Circuits Clean Little Secret is commonly used in
- Rock
- Blues
- Country
- Alternative
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Indie Rock
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Americana
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
Amps that pair well with the Crazy Tube Circuits Clean Little Secret
Mesa Boogie Mark IIC+ Combo
Mesa Boogie
20% matchMesa Boogie Mark IIC+ Combo leans this transparent tone toward high gain, which it doesn't make on its own
Comes later in the signal chain
Synergy SL2 Module
Synergy
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Into a transparent tone, Synergy SL2 Module brings a pull toward high gain that's missing
Mesa/Boogie JP-2C John Petrucci Signature 60/100-Watt
Mesa Boogie
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Mesa/Boogie JP-2C John Petrucci Signature 60/100-Watt leans this transparent tone toward high gain, which it doesn't make on its own
Marshall Studio JCM900 SN20H
Marshall
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Marshall Studio JCM900 SN20H leans this transparent tone toward high gain, which it doesn't make on its own
Friedman Small Box 50W EL34 Amp Head
Friedman
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Friedman Small Box 50W EL34 Amp Head leans this transparent tone toward high gain, which it doesn't make on its own
Friedman BE-Mini Head
Friedman
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Into a transparent tone, Friedman BE-Mini Head brings a pull toward high gain that's missing
Hughes & Kettner Warp 7
Hughes & Kettner
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Into a transparent tone, Hughes & Kettner Warp 7 brings a pull toward high gain that's missing
Hughes & Kettner Coreblade
Hughes & Kettner
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Hughes & Kettner Coreblade leans this transparent tone toward high gain, which it doesn't make on its own
Pedals that stack with the Crazy Tube Circuits Clean Little Secret
JHS Smiley
JHS Pedals
21% matchInto a transparent tone, JHS Smiley brings a pull toward fuzzy that's missing
Comes later in the signal chain
Sola Sound Tone Bender MkII
Sola Sound
20% matchSola Sound Tone Bender MkII leans this transparent tone toward fuzzy, which it doesn't make on its own
Comes later in the signal chain
Boss BF-2 Flanger
Boss
14% matchsits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.
Run Boss BF-2 Flanger after Crazy Tube Circuits Clean Little Secret in the signal chain, clear of Crazy Tube Circuits Clean Little Secret's own gain stage
Comes later in the signal chain
Universal Audio 1176 Compressor
Universal Audio
13% matchshapes the dynamic responseShapes how the tone responds to picking dynamics rather than its frequency or gain. (dynamic → compressed)
Universal Audio 1176 Compressor's compressed voice suits Crazy Tube Circuits Clean Little Secret's own dynamic character
Comes earlier in the signal chain
Boss RV-5 Digital Reverb
pedal
7% matchsits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.
Run Boss RV-5 Digital Reverb after Crazy Tube Circuits Clean Little Secret in the signal chain, clear of Crazy Tube Circuits Clean Little Secret's own gain stage — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Comes later in the signal chain
Malekko Electro-Harmonix Memory Toy Analog Delay
Electro-Harmonix
7% matchsits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.
Malekko Electro-Harmonix Memory Toy Analog Delay's modulated voice goes after Crazy Tube Circuits Clean Little Secret in the signal chain — it's not there to compete with Crazy Tube Circuits Clean Little Secret's own dynamic character — 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 matchComes later in the signal chain
Into a transparent tone, Dr. Scientist Frazz Dazzler V2 brings a pull toward fuzzy that's missing
Warm Audio Jet Phaser
Warm Audio
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Warm Audio Jet Phaser belongs after Crazy Tube Circuits Clean Little Secret, since modulation sits after the gain for a defined swirl
Cheaper alternatives
Beetronics Nectar Tone Sweetener
Beetronics
60% similarityShared character: presence, subtle, boost
DigiTech DOD Looking Glass Signature Designer Distortion
Digitech
59% similarityShared character: boost, natural, subtle
Catalinbread Sidearm
Catalinbread
58% similarityShared character: rich harmonic content, boost, presence
Electro-Harmonix Soul Food
Electro-Harmonix
58% similarityShared character: rich harmonic content, pick attack, boost
Xotic RC Booster V2
Xotic
57% similarityShared character: boost, presence, subtle
Voodoo Lab Sparkle Drive
Voodoo Lab
55% similarityShared character: natural, transparent, overdrive
Boutique & premium upgrades
Similar charactersee all similar tone character →
Greer Southland
Greer
59% similarityShared character: boost, subtle, transparent
Fulltone OCD V2
Fulltone
58% similarityShared character: high gain settings, pick attack, transparent
Strymon Riverside
Strymon
55% similarityShared character: high gain settings, pick attack, boost
Fairfield Circuitry The Barbershop OD3
Fairfield Circuitry
55% similarityShared character: boost, transparent, overdrive
Walrus Audio Fundamental Series Overdrive
Walrus Audio
55% similarityShared character: overdrive
ThorpyFX Gunshot V2
ThorpyFX
54% similarityShared character: natural, boost, transparent
See all alternatives to the Crazy Tube Circuits Clean Little Secret (cheaper + boutique) →
Questions people ask
What are good alternatives to the Crazy Tube Circuits Clean Little Secret?+
The closest matches in character are the Greer Southland, the Fulltone OCD V2, the Strymon Riverside. Budget picks: Beetronics Nectar Tone Sweetener, DigiTech DOD Looking Glass Signature Designer Distortion, Catalinbread Sidearm. Boutique upgrades: Vemuram Budi-G, Browne Amplification Carbon.
What pairs well with the Crazy Tube Circuits Clean Little Secret?+
Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: Mesa Boogie Mark IIC+ Combo, Synergy SL2 Module, Mesa/Boogie JP-2C John Petrucci Signature 60/100-Watt — Mesa Boogie Mark IIC+ Combo leans this transparent tone toward high gain, which it doesn't make on its own.
How much does the Crazy Tube Circuits Clean Little Secret cost?+
Around $243.91 (live listing price, updated Oct 23, 2026).
Compare
- vs Dunlop MXR GT-OD Overdrive
- vs MXR CSP039 Duke of Tone Overdrive
- vs Browne Amplification The Carbon V1