Gold Crown Fives have a gradual round curve vertically on the rails. I think it has a nice look. But when you are resting your cue on the rail I like the cue to be on the cloth of the cushion. The roundness of the GC's causes the cue to rest on the apex of the curve of the rail itself. I don't like the feel of it and it seems like the cue is less stable. Not to knock the GC's but I was curious if the earlier models in the series had flat rails. thanks