The objective of this study is to analyze the performance of digital low-pass differentiators(LPD) and then to provide a method to select effective LPD filter, for detecting spikes of surface motor unit action potentials(MUAP). The successful spike detection of MUAPs is a first important step for EMG signal decomposition. The performances of simple and weighted LPD(SLPD and WLPD) filters are analyzed based on different filter lengths and varying MUAPs from simulated surface EMG signals. The SNR improving coefficient and effective MUAP duration range from the analysis results can be used to select proper LPD filters under the varying conditions of surface EMG.