A Synth for Self Defense - Mopho Saves the Day

via Alex Massad on Synthtopia:
"'This story begins with three elements.

First, I live in quite a lively part of downtown Ottawa, the ByWard Market. Home to countless restaurants, bars, a strip-club and many homeless people.

Second, I also work late very frequently when events run late at the art gallery.

Finally, I have just recently got a DSI Mopho synth that I was jamming around with, this thing sure sounds bad-ass! It’s like a single voice from a Prophet-08, sweet!

Last Friday I was walking home from work at 11 pm when I passed a group of about six people on both sides of me. Generally there are people waiting around here every night having a smoke outside the clubs, but this group was looking for something more. Just as I passed the group I saw one of them come up quickly from behind.

As I turned my head I saw him swing for my head. My first reaction was to duck and cover my head but I was holding both a pizza box and my synth. I freed one arm by dropping the pizza box, and with I swung my synth in self-defence.

Suddenly I felt another of the gang grab my laptop bag by the handle near my neck, but my reflexes led me to get out almost instantly as I dropped my weight to a crouching position. Obviously he wasn’t able to hold on, and I quickly turned so nobody was attacking me from behind, but the group was already running away.

The Mopho is by no means a heavy instrument. It’s compact, hand held and durably enclosed in a very sturdy case. It is however well enough made to do some serious damage in my angry hands. I guess I was swinging this “Killer Synth” around so much that I lost 4 knobs in the process, but on the upside the mob that attacked me backed away from my angry stance, preferring to keep their teeth that evening.'

Massaad adds that he thinks that Dave Smith Instruments – the company – is as bad-ass as their synths. When he told them about his unfortunate experience, they were kind enough to send him some replacement knobs for his synth."