EMG SL-20 Steve Lukather Pro Series

2 Active Single coil SLV
1 Active 85 Humbucker
See other reviews or go to emginc.com for tech specs

Installed in 2000 American Deluxe Fat Strat
Replaced standard Fender pups
Steve Lukather, duh.
pups came installed on used axe with a twist. The standard SL-20 setup has one volume and one tone control. Whoever set my axe up left the standard Strat controls - I love it and I'll explain why in later section.

Output smokes. Other axeslingers see my Yellow Strat and ask to play it, then go - whoa! These pickups are killer!" Others have commented on the power of the 85 compared to the SLV singles, this is true and I like it because its like having a built in booster without having to stomp or switch an additional switch. Cuts through the sonic chaos.

Tone: Here's where the original strat controls help - I can dial in more mids or treble to match the amp I'm using.
Amps: Ampeg VT22 w/ext 412 cab & Fender Blues Jr. I find that I need more treble for the Fender than I do for the Ampeg so I can back off and boost whichever as needed. I don't think I'd like the EMG one vol/one tone config I wouldn't have the flexibility I want and evidently need.

I play blues, old top 40, and AOR (Deep Purple, Humble Pie, Allman Bros., etc.) and original stuff in the same vain. I switch between my SL-20 loaded strat and my Les Paul DC. What I can't get from my Paul I get from the strat which I usually play in the out of phase position (neck and middle). But have no complaints with any position. Only thing I wish this had is the ability to split the coils of the 85 - I don't need the mixed sound of the middle SLV and the 85.

The strat that the SL-20 was mounted in is the first Fender (or single coil axe) I've ever owned. I bought the guitar to resell and then fell in love with it. If this axe were ever ripped off I'd want to replace it with the exact same set up (well maybe I'd swap out the 85 for a 89 that does allow coil splitting and supposedly has the same sound as the 85 when run in HB mode) but don't know who would do the control set up since the SL-20 is pre-wired.

I'm giving it a 8 only because of the split coil limitations.

Pickup features: Single/Single/Humbucker active pickup system
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: OLP MM4
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: All stock pickups...
Other pickups on guitar: Just the EMG pickup system
Artists using this pickup: Steve Lukather and countless others...oh, and me:o)
You musical style(s): Jazz, Fusion, Pop, Rock, Blues, Latin, R&&...a little of everything:o)
Reason for pickup change: The stock pickups, in a word, SUCKED!!!! I mean, they were okay but just okay...

Perceived output level: Very hot compared to stock pickups, with tone to die for. The SLV's are wonderful and the 85 is a dream to play:o)
Tone: Very well balanced and clean...these are yhe finest pickups in creation...IMHO:o) The SLV's are the richest, fullest, most quiet single coils I have ever played in the notch positins give the richest tone I have ever heard in a single coil...pure as an acoustic:o) The 85 balances perfectly with the SLV's. This is the perfect set to go from smootgh jazz to hard rock with the flip of a switch...truly amazing:o)
Sonic evaluation: I have this system installed on my OLP MM4-an import version of the silhouette special from Music Man. I play it through a Polytone Mini Brute II and a Boss ME50 effets pedal. I also play this dream axe through a Marshall JCM 2000 DSL100 with the ME50 and the sounds and tones are amazing and unbelievable. This rig does any style you could possibly want or imagine:o)

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I play all sorts of styles in several professional bands...predominantly christian music in the forms of jazz, pop, blues, rock, R&B, fusion, soul, funk, latin, salsa...any style of music really. There is not one style od music that this system could not work for...it is perfect for any style of music:o)

Comments: Overall, this is the best pickup system I have ever owned...barnone:o) If it were lost or stolen I would buy the same guitar and pickup system in a second:o) I have been playing for about 13 years and also own an Ibanez S430 with DiMarzio Virual Vintage pickups, a Jay Turser JT-137 which is an absolutely wonderful hollowbody, an Ovation celebrity-super shallow steel string acoustic electric, an Epiphone C40 classical, an Epiphone E-02 gypsy acoustic electric, and an Ibanez Ergodyne EDC-705 5-string electric bass. The guiatrs are all played through the polytone mini brute ii and marshall dsl100 and the bass throguh a fender bassman 60 combo amp.
I have always loved Steve Lukather's sound and the music man luke model, but it has always been to expensive. I bought the OLP MM4 because I wanted a Music Man Luke model but it s way too overpriced. The OLP fit the bill for the style but the pickups were terrible. The EMG SL-20 pickup system went right on my OLP after I removed all of the hardware from the pickguard...the sound and feel are all spot on to the music man luke model at a fraction of the price...save a few petty differences.
After upgrading the electronics of my OLP to the EMG SL-20 I only have five words for anyone out there..."What Music Man Luke Model"

Pickup features: Active SSH pickup setup
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Mexican Strat from 1992
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Stock
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup: Steve Lukather
You musical style(s): Prog, Rock & Blues
Reason for pickup change: Stock pickups were too noisy

Perceived output level: Very High output level
Tone: Bright balanced tone
Sonic evaluation: I used this model on my Fender Hod Rod delux
This Guitar is one of the best strat I have ever tried. In concert this my main axe as this is the most versatile. it can scream, can be bluesy. Give me that killing feedback that sometimes i can reach with my EBMM Axis

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: This guitar and pickups are suitable for all style of music

Comments: if destroyed or stolen, I will buy agin or maybe buy the Luke 2 model from EBMM.
I have been playing since 15 years. I have a Yamaha sg2000, 1 Axis, 1 Axis ss with MM90 and piezo, 1 Ovation 6 strings and 1 washburn 12 strings
I really like EMG as they are so quiet and powerful pickups. This setup is perfect for me

Pickup features: Active single,single,humbucking
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: mexican strat
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: stock
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): americana,blues,some rock
Reason for pickup change:

Perceived output level: much higher than stock pickups
Tone: extremely clear/balanced
Sonic evaluation: I play through a fender hotrod deluxe. Its great!!

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I play in an americana band. It works great for this genre since this style is so broad. At home I play all styles these pickups are GREAT for everything.

Comments: I used to own an ernie ball music man steve lukather. I paid about $1200(used)for it. I had to sell it. The setup I have now with the sl20 sounds just like the ernie ball at a fraction of the price. I would recomend this pickup system to anyone. I noticed a few bad reviews about these pickups but they are probably just flukes. Keep in mind that people are more likely to write a negative review about a bad experience than to take the time to write a positive review with a good one. Great product.

Pickup features: 2 Singles 1 85 Humbucking Active System
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Fender US Stratocaster
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced: Custom Shop Texas Specials
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup: Steve Lukather
You musical style(s):
Reason for pickup change: The Texas Specials had nice tone, but not for what I was playing.

Perceived output level: Unknown
Tone: Crappy
Sonic evaluation: Wired it up, plugged it in and.....Crap. The volume increased as I rolled it up (and sounded terrible) from 1-5, from 5-9 it decreased and at 10 it completely cut-out. I emailed EMG for support and got a month long (it took them two weeks to reply to the first email) back and forth thread going. Finally the tech (Rick Hunt <emgtek@sonic.net>) told me the pot was bad (but made no offer of sending a new one). I quickly replaced the pot and....the same thing. The only way I can describe the tone of this is to say it sounds like a synthesizer with a fart bite in it, then one plays it. My guitar sounds like it's farting with this setup! I'm sure they are not all like this and mine is indeed flawed, the point it EMG does not stand behind their products and their level of customer support is non-existent. In everyone of my emails I asked if I could send it to them to repair and they just never replied to the question. Finally, I sent a last email complaining of their poor customer support and copied the President of EMG (Rob Turner, President : rturner@emginc.com) and they never replied to my email. I work in the computer industry in customer support and this is unheard of. Whenever a customer of ours is not satisfied and they get our Presidents ear, she sees to it we jump and do whatever necessary to rectify the situation.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Blues, Classic, Rock

Comments: If it were stolen I would be SO happy. Then I wouldn't have to deal with this anymore. I think I'm just going to send it back to EMG and say "Here. I don't want it and will never buy one of your products again."

Pickup features: the set features 2 custom single coils and an EMG 85. I'm not going to talk about the EMG 85. read the reviews about that pickup to learn more. The two 'SLV' pickups sound like the EMG SV just with more sustain and less attack (this is due to them being overwound). this is not a bad thing. this sound awesome for held chords but you can't palm with them worth anything(but hey that why you have the EMG 85 their aswell!).
Impedence or other specs: remember that the board is active and you need to replace the battery. I replace the battery every about 3 months and it's fine. remember that the on and off switch is the chord so if you leave your guitar plugged in for days on end you will drain the battery quickly

Model of guitar or bass: fender American strat
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: SD Hotrails
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup: Steve Lukather use this exact set up, every band under the sun uses the EMG 85 in some songs
You musical style(s): Christian Rock (POD, Life house, Creed etc.)
Reason for pickup change: Someone bought me the "Toto Superhits" with Steve Lukather on guitar and I fell in love with the tone. find a copy of the song 'hold the line' to get an idea of the tone.

Perceived output level: The EMG 85 is hot but not too hot. It cuts through rhythm guitarist's Seymour Duncan Pearly Gates like butter without getting brittle. the 'SLV's are still hotter than most single coils but the 85 is much louder.
Tone: The best way to discribe the sound of the 85 is take the EMG 81 (Metallica's choice) back off some of the piercing highs add warmth and you've got the EMG 85. The 'SLV's are the fullest sounding single coils I've ever heard. When you are switch to the second position (neck and middle) you tone sounds almost as pure as an accoustic. the EMG 85 is awesome for POD type songs and the SLVs work perfect for Creed and Delirious type songs.
Sonic evaluation: I play through a Line6 AX2 212 any time i use this guitar. between the purity of these pickups and the modeling ablity of the amp I can sound like almost any artist. whenever I'm not covering other people's songs I'm on my other guitar however (custom carvin plugged into a Mesa Boggie Nomad). The SL-20 sounds good and all but I needed the sound of dual humbuckers through tubes for some of my own songs. I can't think of any style I can't play with the SL-20. you sometimes can't get your guitar to sound just like the artist but sometimes it's better that way.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: This pickup set works flawlessly for any style of rock, from Classic to modern. Lukather himself designed it for pop and alternative so it would for them aswell. on the "Dune" Sound track Toto use this pickup set for classical music. Steve Lukather has used it for letterally hundreds of recordings go here, the list of artists he used it with is incredible http://www.riffinteractive.com/emp/steveluke/discography.htm

Comments: The bottem line is that this pickup can play any music. Steve lukather used it on every recording from Michael jackson's 'thriller' to Chet Atkin's 'Stay Tuned' to Cher's 'Take Me Home' to Elton John's 'Victim of Love' to Earth, Wind & Fire's 'I Am'.
this is the best setup you can get if you're a gigging musician needing to play lots of styles and play them well

Pickup features: SIngle, Single, Humbucker pickup set/ Active
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Yamaha PAC604W electric with wilkinson floating Tremelo
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Factory strat style pickups
Other pickups on guitar: All factory
Artists using this pickup: Steve Lukather
You musical style(s): Rock,Blues,Jazz
Reason for pickup change: Got a good clean tone from factory Strat pickups but
it had lousy distortion. Also there was little change
between positions with the selector switch.

Perceived output level: This pickup system is awesome. You get great definition between pickup positons and the sound is glassy clean with all positions and when distortion is applied is has heaps of output, doesn't breakup and give loads of sustain.
Tone: Very warm with medium to high output on all positions.
Sonic evaluation: I am using my Yamaha fitted with the SL20's with my Johnson
JM60 Marquis amp. This amp is fantastic and give me the Steve
Lukather tone that I have been searching for for a long time
without resorting to buying those signature models which are
way overpriced and done sound any better.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I play all styles from Rock through to Jazz and Blues and the combination of these gives me the versatility I need

Comments: If my guiatar was stolen, I would go straight out and by the same guitar and pickup system. I have being playing for 11 years.
There is nothing I dislike about this pickup. I used to have a Ibanez
with dimarzio's but didn't get the sound I was looking. I have always
wanted to get a sound similar to Lukather and after deciding on the SL20's I looked for a guitar with the same pickup combination which had the feel I wanted and had them fitted. I have the sound I have alway wanted and would recommend this pickup to anybody.

Pickup features: H/S/S (85/SLV/SLV)
Impedence or other specs: ?

Model of guitar or bass: Fender American Standard Strat - 40th Anniversary
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Stock Fender pickups
Other pickups on guitar: -
Artists using this pickup: Steve Lukather
You musical style(s): Pop / Rock /
Reason for pickup change: I have a MusicMan Luke guitar and absolutely love the sound of this set. And the stock pickups were USELESS !

Perceived output level: Average output (hotter than stcok) and very balanced
Tone: bright and balanced (a bit hard sounding, but that's what helps getting through the mix)
Sonic evaluation: Amp : Rocktron/Egnater TOL ie4 preamp into the effects return of a Marshall JCM 2000 DSL 100 and into a Marshall 4x12 slant cabinet. Sometimes I use the Marshall amp on its own. For clean sounds I use a Fender Blues Deluxe combo (1x12). Very versatile setup. Other guitars used : MusicMan Luke (EMG set)/ Epiphone Les Paul (with Kent Armstrong Sky Pickups) / Washburn N2 (Seymour Duncan SH4 Jeff Beck Humbucker in the Bridge.
The Strat is now pretty close to the MusicMan - the pickups definetely make a BIG difference in sound. I know what I am lokking for and have found the sound I like.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I play in a Top 40 band. The guitar is perfect for this situation.

Comments: