Brand and Custom Arcade Controller Makers
Here are some joystick controller builder names and some info on them. Higher quantity builders will be categorized under brand makers, while hobby quantity builders will be under custom makers.
Note that I cannot vouch for the services of all the sellers here as I have not dealt with most of them.
Brand Makers
Many brand controllers can be modified to use different and/or better parts, as well as PCBs. Various instructions for altering different models of controllers are available from other sites.
Image: Hori Fighting Stick 3
Hori
Hori is probably the world’s biggest manufacturer of arcade-style joystick controllers by a wide margin. Their joysticks come in a large variety of quality.
Most their joystick controllers use Hori's own lower quality knockoffs of Sanwa parts. If you choose, you can open it up, figure what Japanese parts you want for it, and replace them. Some of their controllers (which are usually only sold in Japan) include some or all authentic Sanwa or Seimitsu brand parts with an authentic Japanese arcade layout; they go by the name Hori Real Arcade Pro (often abbreviated HRAP).
One complaint I have for many Hori controllers is they tend to lack space between the devices and the front of the controller to rest the palms. Also pinky-placed buttons have to be removed and covered if you do not like them (there are parts that fill holes).
If you want a high quality joystick doing little or no work yourself, Hori joysticks have some easy solutions. (link)
Image: X-Arcade Solo (modified with Happ Competition Joystick and Buttons)
X-Arcade
Early on I purchased an X-Arcade Solo and was disappointed (it came straight from them with a dead microswitch in the joystick). They use knockoffs of the Happ Super Joystick and Happ Horizontal Pushbuttons manufactured by the Chinese company Bao-Lian Industry. The joystick can miss or even neutrally hit microswitches. The buttons pivot around in their cylinders and get stuck as they are pressed and released. The PCB even lags. I tried tweaking the parts on my own, but it was a fruitless waste of time and effort.
If you like Happ, you can replace the joystick and buttons with their parts easy enough (though unbolting the joystick and overcoming the lightly glued buttons is a pain). But you will still have to use a poor layout with over-spaced, not-arched buttons and a joystick placed too far away. And I do not even recommend Happ parts anyways. Sanwa and Seimitsu parts do not fit in this controller without some added routing and drilling. (link)
HanaHo
Mainly a cabinet maker, they offer the HotRod Joystick. It looks very similar to the X-Arcade stick. But they do not put a button in the bottom middle that really gets in the way. And they actually use Happ parts (Super Joystick and Horizontal Pushbuttons) and do not charge very much, so I will give them a moderate-quality assessment. Unfortunately, they do not offer a single-player controller. (link)
Arcade-in-a-Box
One of the better American controller makers, they give you some choices for the layout and parts (including Sanwa) used in the controller. A nice option for those not wanting to make their own controller. (link)
Mas Systems
Mas Systems puts together some decent Happ-based controllers with a pretty nice structure (which you perhaps would like to imitate if you are making a custom controller). They tend to use the squared American-type layouts too. They are also a bit notorious for being slow in delivery, and having some PCB problems. (link)
Mayflash
Mayflash makes a very inexpensive version of an arcade controller similar to the ones by Hori that can be modified with arcade parts. (link)
Custom Makers
Here are some commissioned and/or trading custom joystick controller builders. I will not compare each on quality. However, I do consider them all high-quality makers. Some of their work can also inspire you in your own custom controller.
I cannot say I am all that familiar with many of the custom builders, but there are some names that I hear often, and some from whom I have seen a lot of work. Note that I am probably going to be more biased toward those I know better, and I will probably have a little more bias toward those with their own website; and given most my social communities center in the U.S., many of them will be there. Many of these builders trade on the Shoryuken (link) trading forum. (If any builder feels like submitting some information, link, and/or image, or some other suggestion, contact the author.)
Consider this subsection a work in progress that will probably never resemble being finished; it will probably be a mess. It may get very out of date depending on what is going on in each maker's life; do not put them in the same context of those who produce controllers in larger quantities; getting a controller from one of them will depend a lot on many variables including communication and timing; some of them are more exclusive than others, some so booked they are not available.
Given the nature of custom, individual work, I cannot keep up with the status of each builder. For all I know, any one of them could be anywhere from prolific to retired at any given time.
Byrdo
An artist with a great website, and one of the main people to elevate the quality of custom controllers. His name is synonymous with custom joysticks in many communities. Also note how he started with Happ parts and moved more to Sanwa and Seimitsu parts. Located in the U.S. (link)
Timoe / TMO Gaming
TMO is another builder who has helped elevate the quality of custom controllers. Nowadays they center mostly on high-quality cases (box and control panel; no devices or PCB) with exotic hardwoods and one of the best finishes around. Located in the U.S. (link)
Big Pockets
Big Pockets thinks very abstractly and goes farther than probably any current builder using many different materials in his custom joysticks. He does very exclusive work. Located in the U.S.
Jaxel / Crooked Jester
Jaxel has a very direct and convenient website for his services listing the options and costs for various things. Some nice work, you can see examples for yourself. Located in the U.S. (link)
Kaytrim
Kaytrim makes very attractive cases using quality hardwoods and nice sloping. Located in the U.S. (link)
Laurie
Laurie also makes very nice controllers using nice wood and quality finishing. Located in the U.K. (link)
Finkle
Located in Canada. (link)
PC1X1
Located in the U.S. (link)
Axis Gaming
Located in the U.S. (link)
DJ Matrix
Located in the U.S. (link)
Lionheart
Located in the U.S. (link)
Hahano
Located in the U.S. (link)
Some other names with whom I am familiar include Paik4Life, Dreaded Fist, Fjod, Gl0ry, Sex Instructor, and Zombie CPT. As far as I know, they are not producing sticks right now.
