Which EMG single coil do you recommend for the middle position?

[Rex Rocker]

Guitar is an Ibanez S (ZR trem, mahog body, bolt-on maple neck).

It's go an 81 in the bridge (for now) and a 60 in the neck. I want the guitar to have a great clean tone in position 4 in combination with the 60.

So... S? SA? SLV? Could you describe them if you have any experience with them?

Thanks.

 

[Erik Monsonis]

The SA is my favourite EMG single coil. I have it on all my guitars, including and old Ibanez SA Series.

Can't say anything about the others, never even heard of the SLV for example.

 

[JeffTD]

S is more bell-like and chimey, SA is a bit more scooped and round (in a good way), and the SLV is like an SA with more output and a tighter bottom.

Since it's the middle position, you don't need ultra tight low end - I'd go with SLV to match the output of the humbuckers better, but an SA would also do just fine.

 

[Rex Rocker]

Thanks for the replies! I like the idea of the higher output of the SLV, but "more bell-like and chimey" of the S sounds like something I'd dig too. I liked the single coil mode on the EMG 81TW quite a bit, so I'd imagine the S would be the close to that?

Do the SA and SLV have less bottom end than the 81 and 60? I assume they would, right?