I'm building up a bike from parts for the first time, and I'm trying to select my components.
I'm pretty invested in having a Campagnolo Veloce drivetrain, bar-end friction shifters, and I want everything to fit together nicely.

As far as I can tell, Campy doesn't make any friction shifters these days. I know compatibility is important for indexing shifters, but I'm not clear on whether it matters as much, or at all for friction shifters, and if it does I don't understand why.

I also would like recommendations for bar-end friction shifters. In general, I've had some pretty bad experiences with shimano parts, and am not particularly interested in their indexing bar-ends that can be switched over to friction, though if there's a particularly good choice out there from another company that's selectable, I might could handle that, particularly if the indexing was campy compatible.

I don't want to say that money is no object, but I am willing to spend a decent amount on my shifters

Thanks!

I am familar with friction shifters and I know that you can use them even on Campy 10 speeds, heck most likely on their 11 speed systems too. With friction shifters you can move the deraileurs any where you want them since there is no detent [index] to lock them in place. The main difference about the friction shifters is the diameter of the bottom of the lever where the cable rides. The larger the diameter the more length the cable is pulled. Usually the small diameter can run 7 and less but my understanding is that the 8 or higher needs to have the larger diameter version. I used an 8 speed friction set up for my Record 10 speed tandem but I changed it to a 10 speed down tube [a converted 10 speed bar end used for TT bars] because I could not hear the misalignment due to the larger distance of the tandem. I eventually changed to brifters but more because of the way the additional tubes were in the way of shifting [could not use one hand to shift both levers]. The left lever does not make a difference since the front deraileurs all pull about the same amount of cable to make them work. That is all that there is to know about the friction type.
Index should be schooled by someone who know what they are talking about so that is where I will step a side.

Check with Campy to see if their barends have a friction setting.

A possible alternative is to find some used or NOS Sun Tour barends. They were the world standard for quite a while.

I'm not sure why you have a distaste for Shimano bar ends. They all have a friction option and, in my experience, work wonderfully well in either indexing or friction mode.

Like Hilly said- the Shimano bar-ends are the current standard. I have a set that's 18 years old and still working perfectly. I've always run them in indexed mode (with compatible components), so it doesn't really apply to your setup. A set of Suntour retro-friction bar-ends would work fine with your Campy Veloce components. I would use modern low-friction cables and index-type cable housing to improve their action.

FWIW: I believe that the Shimano 10-speed bar-ends no longer feature a friction mode. Cie la vie.

I also have a set of Campy 1012/3 friction bar-ends, sometimes called "cyclocross" shifters:
https://www.velobase.com/ViewSingleCo...m=104&AbsPos=0

These are horrible shifters- sticky, unpredictable, hard to adjust, flat out icky. I keep them for their nostalgia value.

Rivendell has some very nice friction bar-ends for a reasonable price. rivbike.com

look for the suntour friction shifters or get some of the VO ones. there is no need to waste money on Campi (OMG did I just say that?) besides I don't think they have made friction barends in years.

On the up-side, friction-shifters - one's that work well - are an absolute joy to use. You develop your sense of touch very quickly, and your shifts will be as - or more - exacting that with and other variety. IMHO.

I have DT Campagnolo Record shifters from 1982 on my 16-speed PUCH. Though some bark about Campy DT shifters needing tightening every day, they do an outstanding job everytime.

Good luck!