NOTE: If you need any custom options, please add them in the notes section during checkout. We will send you the quote with additional items separately. Because lead times can differ for each FH harp, they may take a little longer to arrive. Please get in touch with us for an ETA.

The Flagship of the Dusty Strings FH Series

At the very top of the Dusty Strings lever harp lineup stands the FH36S — and for good reason. This is Dusty Strings' masterwork: a full-tonal-wood instrument built without lamination, crafted from solid hardwood throughout, and designed to deliver a playing experience that is as comfortable as it is musically expansive.

The "S" in FH36S designates the staveback construction — a defining ergonomic feature that places a flat facet of the soundbox, rather than a corner, against the player's shoulder and thigh. The result is markedly more comfortable extended play, easier reach into the lower register, and a subtly rounder, fuller bass voice compared to the rectangular-box FH36H. Among our customers at Vermont Violins, the FH36S outsells the FH36H roughly nine to one — and once you play one, it's immediately clear why.

Why 36 Strings, 5 Octaves Is the Sweet Spot

The FH36S spans five full octaves (low C, two octaves below middle C, to high C, three octaves above middle C) — a range that covers virtually the entire lever harp repertoire, from classical and Celtic to contemporary and folk. This is genuinely concert-spacing string arrangement at 4-3/8 inches in the lowest octave, transitioning to 3-3/4 inches at the highest — aligned with what harpists trained on pedal harps expect.

Yet despite the breadth of its range, the FH36S is notably compact for a 36-string instrument. At 54 inches tall and just 29 inches front-to-back at its widest, it is meaningfully more portable than many competing 36- and 38-string harps on the market — without sacrificing tonal authority or string real estate.

Sound: Resonant, Articulate, Room-Filling

The FH36S produces a round, full-bodied tone with exceptional clarity across the full five-octave range. The nylon monofilament treble strings deliver bright articulation, while the phosphor bronze-core bass strings provide genuine warmth and sustain. The staveback soundbox geometry contributes to a slightly fuller low-end response compared to flat-back designs — a nuance that becomes immediately apparent in ensemble or solo performance settings.

Players consistently describe the FH36S as an instrument that plays "effortlessly" — a product of precisely calibrated string tension, concert-grade spacing, and a soundboard that responds intuitively to touch dynamics.

Who Is the FH36S For?

The FH36S is the definitive answer for the serious advancing student, the dedicated amateur, and the professional lever harpist who demands the widest range, the most comfortable playing position, and the finest solid-wood construction available without crossing into the pedal harp category. It checks more boxes for more players than any other instrument in the Dusty Strings lineup — and it has earned its place as one of the best-selling lever harps in the United States for good reason.

If you are ready to invest in a harp that will grow with you — not outgrow you — the FH36S is that instrument.

• 36 strings, 5 octaves

• Solid wood construction in choice of 5 woods

• Comfortable staveback design

• Deluxe case included

The FH36S package includes a deluxe CH36 case and a custom tuning wrench.

LEVERS:

Full Loveland Levers

Full Camac Levers (+265)

STRINGS:

Nylon (Included)

Lever Gut (+$300)

STAND:

• Removable stand with 5-inch legs (most common)

• Removable stand with 8-inch legs

SOUNDBOARD VENEER:

Curly maple

Figured Cherry (For Maple/Walnut/Cherry Harps Only)

Birds-Eye Maple (+275)

Koa (For Maple Harps Only - +$275)

SOUNDBOARD INLAY:

None

Abalone around soundboard (+$1300)

T-Brace Inlay:

None Included

• Abalone Celtic Knot (+$795)

• Wood In-laid Cherry Blossom (+$795)

PICKUP:

No pickup

Purchase Pick-Up Option Seperately (+465)

Case: CH36 Included