The Lawrence Petross Design Sixty 8 Deluxe is an all-analog overdrive pedal built to recreate the sound of a 1968 Marshall Plexi amplifier. The maker describes it as offering "all of the tube-like warmth of a 68 Plexi, with none of the fizz."12
It builds on the company's smaller Sixty 8 Drive. Guitar.com described the Deluxe as "a transparent overdrive that's modelled after a '68 Plexi amp," and noted that it "retains the popular sounds of its predecessor, with an added channel for increased drive capabilities."3 Pedal of the Day's review summed up the concept as "essentially providing two pedals in one enclosure," bringing "boost, overdrive and distortion elements to the table" and "a slew of great Plexi tones on the fly."4
A Plexi-style overdrive with two gain stages
The pedal's whole reason for being is one specific amplifier. Delicious Audio reports that the Sixty 8 family was "designed to sound like the company owner's own and beloved 1968 Plexi 12000 series," and that five of the company's first six releases were pedals recreating different flavors of that tone.6 The Sixty 8 Deluxe is the expanded version of that idea, and Delicious Audio added it to its roundup of the best Plexi-style overdrive pedals.6
What sets the Deluxe apart from a single-channel Plexi clone is its gain structure. Premier Guitar's announcement lists "Two separate gain stages" among the pedal's headline features, and Guitar World reported that the Deluxe "adds in a footswitch to choose between two gain stages."15 For a player, that means two levels of breakup available from one box without bending down: a lower-gain channel for rhythm work and a hotter channel for leads, in the way you would switch between inputs or channels on the amp itself.
The design came out of a long development period. Premier Guitar reported that Lawrence Petross, "drawing upon over ten years experience building amps and pedals, devoted 6 months to design and perfect" the pedal, and that each unit is "handcrafted by Lawrence in Mesa, Arizona, using only the finest parts available."1
The controls and footswitches
The control set is straightforward. Guitar.com lists the knobs: "Tweak to taste with 'Level', 'Drive', and 'Boost' knobs, as well as a two-band EQ."3
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Level | Sets the output volume3 |
| Drive | Sets the amount of gain on the drive channel3 |
| Boost | Sets the level of the boost3 |
| Two-band EQ | Bass and treble shaping3 |
The switching is where the two gain stages live. Guitar.com describes the layout: "The middle switch selects between the two channels, while the rightmost switch engages a gain boost."3 Guitar World likewise highlighted "a boost switch for increased tonal range."5 Premier Guitar's announcement put it in marketing terms: "The Deluxe version offers all of the amazing tones of the original Sixty 8 Drive, plus a convenient footswitch to choose between two gain stages," and "A boost switch has also been added bringing an already stellar pedal to new tonal heights."1
How it differs from the Sixty 8 Drive
The original Sixty 8 Drive is the smaller, single-channel Plexi-style drive the Deluxe builds on. The differences, as covered in the 2018 launch press, come down to the added channel and switching315:
- The Deluxe adds a second gain channel for "increased drive capabilities" compared with the Sixty 8 Drive3
- A footswitch selects between the two gain stages15
- A boost switch adds further gain on top15
Everything else, the Plexi voicing and the transparent overdrive character, carries over from the original. Players who only need one gain sound and want a smaller or cheaper box stay with the Sixty 8 Drive; players who want channel switching and a boost at their feet move up to the Deluxe, which adds a footswitch to choose between two gain stages and a boost switch. Lawrence Petross Design also makes the Seventy 4, an all-analog overdrive inspired by 70s British amplifiers, for a different flavor of the same idea351.
Power and price
The pedal's current draw is a low 12mA, which makes it easy on a power supply's budget, and its street price is $279.1
On price, the launch coverage disagrees slightly: Premier Guitar gave the street price as $279, while Guitar.com and Guitar World both listed it at $279.99, with Guitar World reporting it "available now" at that price. All of these figures date from November 2018.135
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Questions
What is the difference between the Sixty 8 Drive and the Sixty 8 Deluxe?
The Deluxe keeps the sounds of the smaller Sixty 8 Drive and adds a second gain channel, with a footswitch to choose between the two gain stages, plus a boost switch for increased tonal range. Premier Guitar described it as offering all the tones of the original with the added switching on top.
Can the Sixty 8 Deluxe run at 18V?
Yes. Premier Guitar's launch announcement lists 9 to 18 volt operation for the Sixty 8 Deluxe, so it works on a standard 9V supply and can also be run at higher voltage.
Where is the Lawrence Petross Sixty 8 Deluxe made?
Each pedal is handcrafted by Lawrence Petross himself in Mesa, Arizona, according to the Premier Guitar press announcement, using what the maker describes as only the finest parts available.
Is the Sixty 8 Deluxe analog?
Yes. Premier Guitar's announcement describes the Sixty 8 Deluxe as an all-analog overdrive pedal, and there is nothing in the published coverage to suggest any digital processing.
Sources (6)
- Lawrence Petross Launches Sixty 8 Drive Deluxe Pedal, Premier Guitar, 2018-11-26
- LPD Pedals Sixty8 Overdrive, Delicious Audio, 2025-05-19
- Lawrence Petross Design launches Sixty 8 Deluxe Overdrive, Guitar.com, 2018-11-27
- LPD Pedals Sixty8 Deluxe Overdrive, Pedal of the Day, 2021-06-04
- Lawrence Petross Design Unveils New Sixty 8 Deluxe Pedal, Guitar World, 2018-11-28
- LPD Pedals Sixty8 Deluxe, Delicious Audio, 2023-10-17
