Think you can't afford top quality preamps and channels.. If you are even halfway good with soldering and can read schematics. you can get yourself into some very good preamp, compressors, channel strips for a fraction  of the cost of brand name equipment.. I am going to try to build a lunchbox and load it with BAE312's maybe even jump on the 500 series pre amps

http://www.diyrecordingequipment.com/1409/diy-meets-the-api-500-serie/

With some common sense ! 

huh? I've already got the first one almost done.  Going to build three, and the lunchbox that they go in.. Unless I can find one used cheap enough.

got this done finally.  super nice preamps.  they work extremely well on percussion, can handle the transients.