I'd argue your point about not saving any money. The amount spend is not chump change and I'd have to admit that I always end up spending more than planned. But compared to what you'd have to spend on brand name equipment to get equivalent performance, the gap is huge.

Let me phrase it another way. I've been following the preamp group build on and off. Very impressive with the quality of parts selected. At what price point would you begin to see brand name equipment with components close to that quality level (for example, capacitors the size of a six pack)? I can't see myself being able to afford that level of manufactured equipment, but with the proper know-how, it can be DIY'ed for a fraction of the cost.

I think second-hand is probably the best way to go if cost is the primary factor. However, like you said, you're stuck with a vintage design. On the other hand, DIY makes it very affordable to upgrade and change the system every few years to follow the latest trend.