[HG] looking for a Hurdy Gurdy

[Natasha Hawke]

Hello!  I'm new to the list, and you probably get a thousand e-mails  
like this one... but I've been captivated by the Hurdy Gurdy for a  
long time... and I've gotten to the place where I just can't not have  
one anymore!  However they seem exceptionally expensive.  Any advice  
on getting an instrument at a reasonable cost?  (I'm thinking around  
1,000. as reasonable.)  I don't want a kit, or a real fixer upper.  
Ideally I wouldn't mind that, but I'm a single mom of 5 kids, working  
3 jobs, yadda-yadda-yadda- lets just say I'd rather spend my time  
practicing and playing then pulling my hair out trying to get it to  
make a sound (I do understand there will be some of this anyways, but  
I'd like to minimize the amount of it).

Anyhow... I love this instrument so much, and really want to get my  
grubby little hands on one!  Any advice is welcome.

Thank you,

Natasha