The NUX Steel Stringer is a preamp pedal. Preamp pedals are a category that sits close to drive pedals: as Premier Guitar's Charles Saufley put it in his review, "Preamp pedals can be a lot of things. They tend to get lumped in with overdrives and boosts."1 If you are shopping across those categories, it is worth reading the Steel Stringer alongside the site's pages on preamp pedals and overdrive pedals.
What it does
A preamp pedal takes the place of, or shapes the front end of, an amplifier's preamp stage, which is where much of an amp's character comes from. Because that overlaps with what overdrives and boosts do, players often group the three together, and Saufley's review treats the Steel Stringer in that context.1
What reviewers said
Premier Guitar published its review of the Steel Stringer on December 9, 2025, written by Charles Saufley, who has served as the magazine's gear editor since 2010.1 The review is organized into sections titled "Fat and Snappy" and "The Verdict," which is where Saufley develops his findings on the pedal.1
NUX also makes a range of drive pedals with related names and circuits, including the NUX Steel Singer Drive, the NUX Horseman and the NUX Ace of Tone, which may come up when comparing this pedal against others in the maker's lineup.
Videos
Wayne Parenteau
Wayne Parenteau
Sources (1)
- NUX Steel Stringer Review, Premier Guitar, 2025-11-07
