What is the best pre-amp DIY kit for beginners?

Also have a look at the Mapletree Audio selection. I built a very nice headphone amp a while ago for my first DIY and it was super easy. Plus Lloyd is a super nice guy and will answer any questions you have.
http://hollowstate.netfirms.com/ Check it out.

Keith

Hagerman Cornet?

http://www.hagtech.com/cornet.html

:-)

Brian.

The cornet is a phono stage only.

The Transcendent Grounded Grid gets my vote. Foreplay would be runner-up. Both companies also offer tube phonostage kits (Transcendent and bottlehead)