Oberheim OB-8

The Oberheim OB-8 is a polyphonic synthesizer which was an update of the Oberheim OB-Xa. Both Sting and Stewart Copeland used this synth.

Sting's Oberheim OB-8
In a brief interview for International Musician And Recording World, Sting mentioned owning the then-new Oberheim OB-8. It can be speculated that the OB-8 was intended a backup to the Oberheim OB-Xa Synchronicity tour.

Apparently, sequences for the tour were written by Sting using the OB-Xa and the Oberheim DSX sequencer in Los Angeles in March/April 1983, and the codes for the DSX sequences and OB-Xa patches were stored on data cassettes. But Sting likely acquired an Oberheim OB-8 after that; the OB-8 would obviously have had compatibility issues interfacing with the existing OB-Xa data tapes that Sting intended to use (or he didn't quite have enough time to get into the OB-8 properly), hence he stuck to the OB-Xa for the entire tour.

Danny Quatrochi remembers the Oberheim equipment being delivered to a repair shop but it got stolen or sold and was never seen again.

Stewart Copeland's Oberheim OB-8
Stewart Copeland owned an Oberheim OB-8 synthesizer during the early-to-mid 1980s. Stewart's 9 October 1982 diary entry mentions "OBERHEIM" - probably he ordered for a complete Oberheim setup. Including the OB-8, as the earliest manual for the synth dates to November 1982. It was also part of his Rumblefish writing/recording rig at Tres Virgos Studio.

On Rumblefish, an Oberheim portamento is heard on "Biff Gets Stomped By Rusty James" at the 1:56 mark.

References
 * Jeff Seitz
 * 'Demo Station' photo on The PoliceWiki Rumblefish page
 * The PoliceWiki (diary entry)