I've run MAME in the past many times, have built many computers, but I am about to start building a dedicated MAME cab with a real control panel.
Since this is often going to be the first stop for newbies who are building their own cabinets, can we put together an updated, comprehensive thread on the very basics, such as :
What are the recommended choices for the most common 4/8 way joystick controls (I'm guessing probably J-stik, U360, and something else)?
What are the "best" buttons to use? I understand that "best" is a subjective term, but again - in each category (backlit, convex, concave, flat, microswitch, leaf) what's recommended?
Also maybe a tutorial on which MAME version works best with which frontend, how to check your ROM compatibility with each, and configure it correctly?
I have to imagine for nearly every single MAME cabinet build, we're all using almost the same hardware, right (some kind of Windows machine, along with an I-pac2 and joystick/buttons/etc.) Theoretically, this should make it a little simpler to write something up that will apply to 95%+ of builders.
Also, what retailers/websites to buy from? I read the sticky about RAM controls, but what about others like Ultimarc or
http://www.arcadeshop.de/ or straight from Suzo-Happ? Are they reliable/overpriced/fast shipping/good customer service?
I also understand that everyone will have their opinion, and opinions differ, but I'm also pretty sure that on a lot of this stuff there will be a pretty obvious consensus on what to use, or at least, what NOT to use

Sorry for the long post, I hope I'm not out of line....I've looked for recommendations and all the "FAQ" threads seem to be pretty old.