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Hey, thanks for the comprehensive reply. No I've not got particularly deep pockets, it was originally seeing the Chinese Douk audio DIY kits on ebay that got me thinking about this, they're £200-£300. Crap, I imagine.
I've not got a HUGE amount of electrical experience and none with high voltage rails.
So this would appear to be a bad idea for me? I'm not after something particularly powerful or complex, but I would like to learn how these things work and I like making stuff.
I do currently own a Trace Elliot VA350 bass amp, very similar to this one. In fact, I got in contact with the chap who did that overhaul diary to give mine a service. A very nice man he is, too but he lives up in Norfolk so I was unable to 'sit in' and watch him fix it whilst I asked stupid questions, which I would've liked to do.
I'd love to learn more about this stuff and I like tinkering, but I appreciate I could get killed in the face so would appreciate advice on how to learn and build without dying. I will do some more googling!
TurtleRecall-
No problem Mr Recall.
If you haven't got much experience with Elektrickery I think building a Valve amp would be too risky TBH. I am Mr H+S! But alls not lost....Howsabout a DIY Solid State amp kit? Back in 1969 John Lindsey Hood came out with a Class A biased Transistor amp design that some folk still rave about, I admit I've never knowingly heard one meself but the 'JLH amp' crops up numerous times in HiFi conversations. Being a SS amp it'll have lower HT rails and could be a sfer bet than diving in and 'doing-a-valve-amp' straight away.
A quick eBay search throws up -> http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2-X-MINI-JLH-HOOD-1969-CLASS-A-3W-AUDIO-POWER-AMPLIFIER-KIT-/151388877083?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item233f7af11b
Simple and dirt cheap to get you started. It wont be the worlds greatest amp, but its a cheap project!
FatManOnAFixie
Depending on what you want....Got deep pockets? :-) I scratched my 1st appalling valve amp about 10 years ago but had the advantage I'm an Electronics Tech by trade. Later I built one of these -> http://www.world-designs.co.uk/kt88.htm
Its OK for a reasonably powerful (by Valve standards) Amp using Valves that are still in mass production but not cheap, £1150 for the basic version. there's a simpler PCB based amp that uses the sweet EL84 Valve here, same company http://www.world-designs.co.uk/el84.htm
TBH, I sold my KT88 PP amp to fund a pair of very exotic output transformers when I got deeper into pure DIY (not kit based) Single Ended Valve audio. Madness lies this way, beware!
There's also AudioNote and Glasshouse Kits worth Googling for info.
Have you worked/had experience of High Voltage rails before? Gotta be VERY VERY careful working on this sorta stuff, you really can get killed in the face (twice!) if you connect with HT rails.