Reddit mentions of Red Convex LED Lighted Arcade Pushbutton

If you go with a PC cheapest and best option is. http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Zero-Delay-Arcade-USB-Encoder-PC-to-joystick-for-MAME-Fight-Stick-Controls-/171017609206?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item27d1719ff6
Super easy to wire, works well with pc's not so great with anything else. It will work on a PS3 but its missing the guide button so pretty useless. Its only 10 bucks though and comes with USB cable and everything you need to wire it in. All the zero delay options save you money in the long run of having all the cabling usb, wire connects, terminals with it. Getting the wiring, disconnects, usb cable could easily set you back 25 bucks depending on another PCB style.

If your dying for LED light up buttons but dont want to spend upwards of another 100 bucks in parts for it go with
http://www.ebay.com/itm/REYANN-ZERO-DELAY-ARCADE-LED-USB-ENCODER-FOR-ARCADE-MAME-GAME-SUPPORT-LED-DIY-/261328773546?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3cd868a1aa

Which is a zero delay board with support for self contained led buttons like http://www.amazon.com/Red-Convex-Lighted-Arcade-Pushbutton/dp/B00CK6D39C/ref=sr_1_6?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1404716834&sr=1-6&keywords=LED+pushbutton

Benefits super cheap and easy way to get LED lighted buttons. Disadvantages the button is nice but not super high quality. Granted unless your like a huge arcade jockey hard to tell the difference, but you can negate it by getting cherry arcade switches and swapping them out. http://www.focusattack.com/cherry-d44x-75g-187-microswitch/ is a good source for those.


If you go with a PS3 cheapest and best imo is
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Zero-Delay-USB-Encoder-PS2-PS3-PC-to-Joystick-for-Arcade-Game-Controls-2pin-/171018138307?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item27d179b2c3
This is an upgrade to the original Zero Delay adding the PS button. Which is important if you want to turn your cab on and off easily. The other two zero delay boards even though they support the PS3 are terrible for it. If you go PS3 gets this PCB. If you have to have LED buttons at some point in the future when your budget allows you can grab a kaimana board.

If you happen to decide to go modded xbox360 route the PCB to use would be this 60 buck bad boy.
http://www.focusattack.com/akishop-ps360-multi-console-joystick-pcb/
But its the best out there, is multi-console supported so you could have multiple systems to use in your cab PS3/PC/X360/PS4/Xbox/Dreamcast and just switch the usb cable around. Pricy at 120 in PCB for 2 players but more future proof and the best thats out there.

So if you have brains and PCB all out of the way and your cab is built only thing left is your joystick components.

Best budget price Joystick is the IL Eurostick or what we call the new Happ Competition.
Its best suited to Marvel vs Capcom games cause of its gate, and has cherry switches so its high quality and cheap at 12 bucks.

http://www.paradisearcadeshop.com/323-il-eurostick-joystick

Buttons. The cheapest quality buttons your going to get are Sanwas.
http://www.focusattack.com/obsn-30-screwbutton/
you want 30 mm screwbuttons for wood. The snap ins are more for plexi or metal panels.

I really like the semeitsus most say the feel of a sanwa is better and they are cheaper but I end up using semis cause I do plexi bottoms and their screwbuttons do not have that ugly orange button cap, and they come in better translucent colors for the LED mods that I do. I think there a lot better looking. http://www.focusattack.com/ps-14-kn-screwbutton/

You need 11 buttons for each player. So you can get cheaper standard black for the three that are for home/guide/start.


Quality components and fine tuning. For the distinguished fingers.
Most of the components I buy are out of http://paradisearcadeshop.com and or http://focusattack.com
There both great shops and usually I can find everything I need between the two. Want to go over some of the quality stuff when it comes to components.

Joysticks

As I said the IL eurostick is great, mmm cherry switches and a great gate for MvC games but I want to talk about the Sanwa JLF and why you will see it in most custom fightsticks.

The sanwa JLF is highly modifiable. Its a great stick out of the box. It comes with a variety of restrictors. 4 gate, Circle, Octo. If you have no clue what I am talking about thats fine but I recommend you try out some different gate options. I myself prefer a circle gate with a medium throw.
So in my stick I have a Circulaur restrictor and a slightly oversized actuator. The Sanwa can be modified just like a performance car. They make Optical gates that are pricey but awesome. Quick disconnecting shafts, cherry switches, Aluminum bat Tops, Custom Painted balltops. I will add a more comprehensive guide on the JLF later.


Buttons.
If you care about nothing other then feel go Sanwa.

If you like a good feel and aesthetic options for say LED mods, plexi mounted undersides go with Semietsus.


Speaking of LED mods. I highly recommend the Kaimana LED controller Board. Baby is sick. Take a look at in action in this shitty recorded video I need to redo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mFsbcnBq1c

WOOOO SEXY CAMERA WORK.


Alright so dont just take my word for it. There are some great resources out there to learn everything you need to know. Its what I did. Going to give you a hotlist of important resources.

http://forums.shoryuken.com/categories/tech-talk People know their shit here and there is so much knowledge.

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/ Hot shit.

Slagcoin.com More for the Fightstick builders but a great resource and the best place to get button layouts.

Gonna treat this as a work in progress and add more to it. But if you have any questions and want to talk arcade stuff just hit me up on my FB page. Facebook.com/zerocade.
Happy Gaming!