Not my intention, but you know how things go in online forums...

So, I received my new (to me) Wenge Grand yesterday and spent several hours with it. Really dialed in and easy to play.

It has fret rods (flattened tops) while my other Stick has rails (pointy tops).
I've read as much as I can find on Rails. but can't find much discussion or articles written on the subject of rod-type frets.

My early experience is positive with rod-type frets. Quite smooth to play. I like the tactile feel of my finger on the wood whereas with the rail-type frets, my finger never really gets to touch the wood unless I'm playing pretty aggressively.

Wondering what some of the old-timers have to say about their instruments with rod-type frets?

Peace,

Randy

I am not an old timer, but I have an equally tiny amount of experience with both types: I prefer Rails.

Rails rule.

I like both of them... The smoothness of the Rods and the "preision" of the Rails. Slides are a bit easier on the Rods, higher notes are easier on the Rails.

Obviously, I have Rails on my Railboard, but previously I owned a ca. 1983 Ironwood Stick with the older jumbo frets. While vibrato was nicer on that old instrument, and slides up and down sounded smoother and less "fret-y" (the only way I can describe it), I like the way the Rails feel under my fingers better. The action is a little lower, my larger, chunky fingers can get more precise with them, and they allow me to play very clean and clear, strong notes in the very high registers, where the fret/rail spacing is very close. I'm able to do stuff on my Railboard that was impossible with the older frets.

Actually the "rails" on a Railboard are not much like the sharp pointy rails on a new hardwood Stick. When set up correctly all the types of frets on all the Sticks from different eras feel good and play well or they wouldn't exist. But there are differences. The rails on my Padauk Grand have been dressed 3 times I'm told so they're a little less pointy than when new but still a very precision environment when you get down among 'em.

I have had experience with a number of different Sticks and actual guitar frets on the very
vintage Sticks is interesting to play. The "Rods" were a big improvement imo because the larger scale of the fret matched the big fretboard of the Stick and of course are nice and smooth.

The Rails bring you up a bit, not really sharp but like little pyramid's with a flattened top;
precision engineering allows for precision playing. The Rails can be very subtle as well.

I think that the thing for multi-instrumentalists is, if you have different Sticks
or those who play a variety of instruments, when you really catch fire you tend
to stick with one (npi) for longer periods of time, then you start to become so
acclimated or familiar that the fret type disappears, really the instrument disappears too, then the room and then you go as well and it is just the music it happens .

*j*
.~
jRj

Are rods an option on new Sticks?

The Grand I mentioned above is number 6011. So is relatively new.

Greg would know for sure and I guess if it were an option it would be on the website.
But I believe that all Sticks are standard with Rails.

`j`