Back in my radio days I knew how to put together linear RF tube amps. Not quite the same thing you're looking for though I suspect, since you want that warm, overdriven distortion that only an overdriven AF toob can provide.
Personally, I'd opt for the hand-built one but I'm a tinkerer. In your case it'd probably be a factor of how much time you have available to fiddle with it and what your temperment towards tweaking a home-build is.
FWIW - There's something special about keying up that amp (or in your case, hitting that power chord) the first time after plugging it in.
