Finally I put an SSL-1 neck in my strat. Wow!

[ItsaBass]

The middle pickup is my "home base" neutral tone position on a Strat. I like the e.q. and gain of the amp to be set to make the middle pickup clear, strong, and midrangey. Not bright, and not dark. I play a lot of my basic rhythm stuff on that pickup. From there, the neck is warm and sweet, and the bridge is thin and aggressive.

I have had great sounding middle pickups with all A3s and all A5s. Wasn't so keen on all A2s. Never tried a 5-2. But it's hard to say based on magnet type, since each of those pickups probably also had a different wind, and all of the magnets of a certain type are not created equally.

 

[Artie]

Generally, I use the middle only for the #2 & #4 notch chime, but I've got one wound by Zhangliqun that's sweet. I imagine it's on par with an Antiquity. It's got that open, airy 3D quality that I rarely hear in a single. I love it on its own. On the other hand, I've got a 5/2 laying around here somewhere that I've never installed. I need to check it out.

 

[Mincer]

I only use the middle for 2 & 4 as well, and could get by without a middle pickup at all. But I am happy my Strat has a middle pickup, even if it is screwed down a little lower. I can still get quacky with it.