The Dirty Little Secret is something we at Catalinbread have been harboring for quite a long time now and we�re finally ready after months of testing and refining to spill the beans...
In essence, the DLS is a �foundation� pedal � a sonic platform to build the rest of your sound upon. It reacts to your playing dynamics and respects the character of your guitar�s pickups just like the classic British amplifiers it emulates. Use it to set your base crunch rhythm sound into a clean amp, roll your guitar�s volume back for cleans. Notice how treble boosters sound like shards of brittle glass or how fuzzes sound cheesy & thin into clean amps? The DLS seamlessly integrates treble boosters and fuzzes with clean low volume amps, delivering a thick cranked sound at reasonable volume levels.
What is surprising to people experiencing the DLS for the first time is that we�ve managed to capture the same dynamic interaction felt between a player and an amp but in a pedal. The DLS cleans up with light picking attack and volume knob changes � it reacts in the same way as those amplifiers do. It crunches when you hit it hard, cleans up when you play softly, and has that punchy cabinet �air movement� thing happening even at low volume levels. By the same token the DLS respects your guitar�s characteristics. The result doesn�t sound like a typical �amp in a box� pedal because it doesn�t feel like you�re playing a pedal � it feels like an amp.
The controls are simple and effective � Loudness governs output, Tone morphs from smooth and fat to crunchy and cutting, Gain goes from clean and clear to full crunch with harmonics, and the Rock/Rawk switch selects 60s - 70s JTM/JMP sounds (Rock) or �80s JCM tones (Rawk).
Since the DLS was designed to emulate two classic British amplifiers, let�s get into each mode setting and what they have to offer in variety of sounds.