There's a new photo series of an Ash Grand Stick with turquoise dot inlays and MIDI melody
in the HotShots gallery.

This instrument has the new smaller 1/8" Rails:



for more pics see: http://www.stick.com/instruments/hotshots/

whats the logic behind the smaller rails?

My guess would be to make wooden Sticks as playable as Railboards, with their very small built-in Rails. Smaller rails will mean MUCH easier playing - lower action and accuracy/strength of notes, particularly in the upper registers.

Hi Luc,

I can see why you would think that, but I don't think you're correct. First off, there's no difference in the action.

Having played the SG12 for a while, and having an instrument with Rods in my hands these days, too. I find if they're properly set up they all play equally well.

The fret height difference does makes glissing a little smoother-feeling, as your fingertips contact more of the wood than with the higher Rails, but the surface of the Rail itself is the same size.

So, it feels a bit more like a conventional fret, but I don't think it "plays" better.

There are some advantages. Less material means less weight (25 3/16" Rails weigh quite a bit), and they are less obtrusive aesthetically (you see more wood).

I'm actually quite a fan of having less contact with the wood, compared to the Rods, for example, the precision of the high notes with Rails is amazing, especially compared to conventional guitar frets...

The Railboard Rails have a 110º angle instead of a 90º angle, so they feel smoother in any case.

My new bamboo grand has the new smaller rails and although I was a little freaked out at first,I've come to the point where I'm perfectly comfortable. I've had it now for a couple weeks and I don't find that I'm dragging flesh on the wood between frets like I feared. There's enough height so that doesn't happen and I can get a clean note easily. Pull-offs are clean and easy to execute as are slides from one ringing note to another. The other thing I feared was that I'd have trouble getting "behind" the string for easy bending and vibrato. The feel is a little different for that but it's easily doable. As someone who's owned a Railboard,a hardwood Grand with large rails and this new one,I'd have to say that within 5 minutes of picking any of them up you'll forget about the others and just get into playing. They're all physically easy to play and there's certainly not a bit of difference in tone. No one should fear these new rails whatsoever. That's my take.