Hi Simon, you are absolutely right that there is no kit supplier which has a strong and helpful community to back them up as Pitbull Guitars.
However, this will be my first build and allthough I have some woodworking skills and some knowledge about the electronics, I have no knowledge when it comes to dying, staining, woodfilling, buffing and all that stuff. So I am afraid that I will mess up things. Therefore I think (or feel) it will be wiser to start with a kit that is more affordable to me. The fact that I have lost my job after 30 years of work doesn't help either. I have to be carefull with my savings ;-)