This synth has been with the band since 1997. You can see it pictured on our early shows with Susan, as well as our 2012 show in Austin, TX, with Violet at the helm. "Helm" is an appropriate term to describe this synth whose numerous sliders and controls make it seem more like a WWII U-boat than a musical instrument.

The Opus 3 can sound a bit sterile by itself, and it benefits from being run through a decent overdrive pedal and a tube amp. The amps and pedals we used vary depending on the era and the player. Susan liked going direct (Superhero), but later switched to a RAT pedal, Wendy used a RAT pedal and played it through an Ampeg VT-22, while Violet uses a Tubescreamer into an early 1980s Marshall JCM-800.

While it was once possible to get these relatively inexpensively (200-400 USD), they have been climbing in price in the last few years.