I have owned different mfg AK's but never an sks.
I'm only looking to buy one.  Id like the best and new would be perfect. Who or where  should I look? What brand / mfg is the best?

Russian if you are only buying one, but it would suggest you pick up a yugo just to have, and then play with it and decide where to go

If it was me I'd say go for a yugo but I may have some bias towards them having owned 2... Lol but I do love the yugo 59/66a1. But having said that the Russians are awesome also if found in original condition every time I see an add for Russian sks rifles they are always either missing the mag, stock or some other part that kills the collector value. But anyway I do not like how tiny the Chinese ones feel to me but hey if I where to ever find one at a decent price I would probobly buy one anyways. Whatever u decide on check the bore especialy if it's a yugo they do not have a chrome lining and can be very badly pitted. Also check the gas system out they can also be badly pitted and could cause reliability problems especialy with a yugo look at the inside of the gas tube also the seal and the selector. And these are just problems that they might have not that they definetly do have. I just don't want to see you get screwed. I love my current 59/66

Just one?  Id get a Russian SKS 45.  Its the original with screw in barrels, not pressed and pinned,

yeah, a russian for sure.  if you can find one or dont want to drop that much coin for one, get a chinese.

Russian

Pictures show the reason why

Spax - whats the deal with the blued bolt?  Year and Arsenal?

Its typical refurbished rifles; especially sks that were done in Ukraine. They were painted black by the arsenal that refurbished them. Its a 1950 tula with Ukrainian rebuild mark.

Those pictures above are the comparsion between a 100% factory orginal 1954 tula, and refurbished 1950 Tula.

Pictures of the top cover, and the stocks

Is the stock tarred or is that just a rough texture from a lot of shellac?

rough texture from shellac applied over old Finnish. The stock has arsenal repairs.