If you have the cash to shell out I'd say pick up a good HOTAS setup. What you get is up to personal preference; many people like Saitek X series sticks for the bling, the fact that it's the stick in the ships, and the twist function. They tend to have QC issues though, so you could get a real lemon. I see a lot more praise for the X-52 on this issue than the newer X-55.
CH Pro, the full setup I have, has no twist so that kills the deal for some, but the kit is solid and reliable; pedals, throttle, and stick. People have also had lots of success with Thrustmasters (T-1000 I think) and other sticks as well.
How good you get with what you choose comes down to training on your preferred control kit. At first you will probably suck at it till you can get a handle on relearning how to fly. But there's lots of buttons on HOTAS setups, and having an analogue throttle is imo a lot more fun. You will FEEL cooler using one even if you don't end up being measurably better.