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I have one of each of these harps, and when we recently began preparations for a long-distance move, my husband asked me to choose which one to part with, and I told him I had to keep both. (As a compromise, I decided to sell my Harpsicle instead.)
My first Dusty Strings harp, and still my favorite, is the FH 36S. Because it was too much to carry everywhere, I then I bought the FH 26 (in walnut). It has a lovely, warm, sweet sound, but not as much volume as the 36.
After playing in FH 26 in crowded rooms for awhile, having to repeatedly warn passers-by, “Watch the legs!” (they stick out forward when the harp is tilted into playing position), I decided to consider getting a Christina. But while comparing the Christina to the other harps in the store, I discovered the Ravenna, which was only a bit more money and had really good sound. Its single, telescoping leg solved the tripping hazard, made for easy set-up, and I found it lighter to carry than the FH 26.
The FH 26 has a warmer, fuller sound than the Ravenna, but the Ravenna’s sound is also pleasing, just a bit louder and brighter, and I find it carries better in a noisy room than the FH 26.
It may seem silly to keep two harps of the same size, range, and general character, but as long as I can find space for them I will have then both. So the point of all this is, both of these are nice instruments and whichever you choose you will probably be very pleased with it.
Have you bought a harp yet? I may be looking to sell my fully levered natural maple Harpsicle because I currently own four harps and may be moving to smaller quarters. I have three Dusty Strings, a cheap Pakistani “learner” that is out on loan to a relative, and the ‘Sicle. My DS’s are FH36S, FH26, and Ravenna. Soundwise, I like the big Dusty the best, the 26 second best, and the Ravenna 3rd (it beat out the Triplett Christina but still doesn’t sound as good as the 26).
I flew from Indianapolis to Cozumel at the end of May, and my ‘sicle fit into the overhead in three out of four planes.
