Wyo -

If you are just interested in "trying it yourself," I'd suggest starting with something simple.

I'd discount drums and whistles since, while they're easy enough to build, they don't normally get much use as "musical instruments." You bang on them - or tweet a few times - but there's little you can do with them that will be welcome in most groups. Of course if you intend to use them with a bunch of kids ...

The lap dulcimer is probably the simplest thing you can put together that approaches being "musically useful." The main things you get from a kit are two pieces of bent wood, a headpiece with some kind of "slot" to make it easy to run the strings in, and a finger board with the slots cut for the frets. The only tools you need are a small screwdriver or two, a sharp knife, something to trim the frets to length (diagonal wire cutters) and about 102 spring type clothespins (for glue clamps). A "coffee table" sized work space is "adequate."

You will want a small file to "finish" the frets, and a small bottle of glue. A decent small saw (coping saw, maybe) will be a help.

The thing that distinguishes the "well made" from the "slopped together" is mostly in how cleanly you cut the rough edges off, and the kind and quality of finish(es) you apply. Set-up on the "completed" instrument determines whether it's actually "playable and musical," but fortunately that's something you can "tweak" almost indefinitely.

As you go to more "complex" instruments, you get more complex parts in the kit, but will also run into more things that "need a touch" that requires more specialized tools and/or skill. With most reasonably decent kits, the extra touches can be done with simple tools - if you apply liberal amounts of detrmination and ingenuity.

Several people I've known have put together "kits," mostly mountain dulcimers, and the invariable comment has been "I can do it better next time." Frequently one kit leads to another kit. The exeption has been with those who consulted with other (more experienced?) kit builders during their own assembly, to avoid the most common "oops moments."

(There is a second exception - a couple of guys with absolutely no musical ability who were pleased that their kits came out "pretty." Both of these instruments played pretty well too.)

Start with something simple, to learn a little "kitmanship," and you'll enjoy it. Learn a little about putting the things together, and you'll probably prefer working from "scratch."

John