so many kits

[solark]

Trying to thoroughly research all the different kits out there is proving to be a daunting task. At the risk of starting an all out war, who makes the best kit, assuming price isn't a factor?

The ERAs all look gorgeous and seem pretty authentic, but I must be honest that I'm less interested in authenticity as outright performance ability. There seem to be a lot of good arguments for the FFRs, but then there seem to be a lot of people who swear by their Kirkhams, too.

I understand that pretty much any kit can be modified to tailor fit my performance and real world goals, but what's the best starting platform? Is there a best? I'm really not trying to pick a fight here, I just want to know if there's one company that really occupies the top rung once you throw monetary concerns out the window. And if not, what are the traits that tend to characterize the final product of each manufacturer?

Help!