The 50 is an excellent saw. I owned the 028 super and 50 and ran them both for 3 years. The 028 ended up getting left behind so I felt sorry for it and found it a new home. Both were completely stock, not even a muffler mod. I bought the first family 50 around 1988, and my brother still uses it, all original engine. The most notable differences was the lighter weight and longer run times on a tank of fuel. The 028 handled different, hard to explain. I can't speak for the 026 that you wanted it compared to. I've fixed other 50s and they are very easy to work on. The downfall is the intake system and the carb mounting screws that thread into plastic, so some people strip them. I never had any issues with the oiling system and it didn't leave puddles on my bench. The on/off switch is prone to break and the oring leaks on the fuel cap. There is a newer fuel cap that works great on them. The vibration isolation is 4 point rubber that does it's job and gives it a firmer feel than the new springy Husky's. The parts are still easy to find. It's a very dependable saw and I wouldn't pass one up with good compression for $75.