Analogue-sequencer

> I am a born-again hardware freak

The best kind.
Reading this months Sound On Sound, I noted with sadness only a single
review of an actual 'instrument'.
The world is going soft...

> How many hours did it take you guys to build a p3? Assuming a 
> resaonably good technical knowledge and soldering skills...

I'll need to leave that question to someone who hasn't built up callouses on
60+ P3 builds.
 
> I also wonder if anyone in the UK has sourced buttons and knobs via 
> CPC or similar - I guess I could save a few quid this way?? 
> Any reason 
> not to do this

I strongly recommend the production keys. They are very high quality, and I
think fairly priced against the un-legended equivalents you could buy at
Farnell etc. I spotted this page recently...
http://www.maltron.com/maltron-cherry-mx.html
25 years, and not one failed Cherry MX key.

Cheers,
Colin f