pickups, tremolos, tuners, preamps, etc...

[rubymaster92]

I'm building a custom electric guitar and i have several things that i want on it, but i'm not sure what's the best. The cream of the crop. I want to know the best: pickups, tremolo system (preferably floyd rose style), tuners, and neat little pre-amps, and other things that would be cool on it. Any suggestions would be most appreciated. Thanks.

[Mark Hammer]

There are plenty of "bests" in all of those categories and they are all "best". The problem is that they are all "best" at achieving a certain specific goal, and few things in life are so flexible that they can acheive any goal you throw at them. So, what is it you need these things to do for you?

[jrfrond]

There are products in all of those categories which could be defined as "best", and then there are high-end, esoteric products which are expensive and meant for seriously discerning ears and taste. For instance, let's talk pickups: For generally use, I consider Seymour Duncan and DiMarzio to be "the best" and a good starting point, with Duncan having the widest array to choose from. It's probably also widely accepted in the guitar industry. However, for my own personal taste, I like pickups made by Lollar, Barden and TV Jones, all pricey but great stuff.

For tuners, "the best" would be Sperzel, but then there's also HipShot (relatively new to the guitar industry, heretofore concentrating mostly on bass), Gotoh, and Schaller. However, if you are using a full Floyd Rose system with a locking nut, you really do not need "the best" for tuners, since the bulk of your tuning will be done via the bridge-mounted fine tuning system.

Jumping ahead, it sounds like you want to build a metal axe. I suggest that, to start, you purchase a mid-grade metal-style guitar and upgrade it yourself. You need to educate yourself on the guitar mechanics before you can go ahead and build a viable instrument.

[Djinn Guitars]

The best?

The only "the Best" answer you will get it that the FLOYD ROSE is the best Floyd Rose style tremolo. That being said they make a few different models. I prefer the Original many prefer the Pro and some just have to have the Speedloader.
Like the others expressed earlier. YOU must define the parameters in which you expect the instrument to perform. If you want to emulate a specific guitarists sound a good place to start would be to look at what they use in the studio (not who they endorse). Many guitarists use non-signature guitars in the studio but due to contractual agreements must play their signature model on stage.
If you are wanting to make the perfect guitar for you, then go to every guitar and pawn shop you can find and play every guitar they have. Don't limit your self to what you already think you like play them all. You never know you may love the feel of a PRS scale, the width of a '52 Tele, Khaler on a Kerry King signature BC Rich, and the body contour of a Les Paul, and pickups in a David Gilmour Strat. You'll never know till you try 'em. In the process you'll also be acquiring the specs for your perfect guitar.