Newbie looking to build first Theremin

Hey all!
I've been absolutely fascinated with the theremin for a while now, but never getting the chance to play one. I thought, "Hey, why not take a crack at building one?" So here I am! 

I've looked around here and abroad for a good start but it's been tough trying to find a middle ground between "fun weekend project" and "must be a master electrician for this $1000 build". I've got decent knowledge of circuits and the like but with little actual build experience, however I'm pretty patient and willing to take a while learning while building the circuit. Such that I'm absolutely enamored with builds like the 126 vacuum tube theremin, but the high price and more advanced electrical know-how put me off. 

Does anyone here have a schematic/guide I can launch off of or just general good advice for a newbie? I can't wait to start building and even more excited to start playing! 

Rocklost, 
there’s no settled opinion on which theremin circuit is best for a beginner. Usually “simple” means “somewhat crippled”, and you’ll later be disappointed by the instrument’s capabilities.

Browse the forum — your question has been asked many times.

Probably the simplest design is the French one by Thierry. Try it; if you run into problems, let him take the heat for it (though these days Thierry visits the forum very rarely).

The drawback of Thierry’s circuit is that it has no volume control, but if you want to stick the circuit into a Russian matryoshka doll (i.e. clone the “Matryomin”), that’s not really a problem.

In general, you’re right that it would be good to try a working instrument first. It might immediately cool your enthusiasm and make you spit in the direction of theremins altogether.

I don’t know if you have music shops, showrooms, or just friends with a theremin in your area.

As a last resort, you could visit Saint Petersburg, the homeland of the theremin: there Peter Thermen, the inventor’s great‑grandson, gives master classes. His signature trick is to take a beginner’s hand and move it in front of the antenna — it works great! At his lecture‑concerts there’s always a long line of people wanting to try it.

Thank you Ilya,
I'll look deeper into the forums. I think I just need more electrical experience for a project like this, looking at the larger circuits it seems very daunting indeed!

I think the minimum entry point is not so much experience as **having an oscilloscope** – so you can tell whether the oscillator is running and at what frequency.