I've heard sympathetic strings on hgs, and they're nice. A normal, sympathetic-string-less hg is very unusual for a string instrument, in that when you stop cranking, you hear dead silence, no sustain at all. Sympathetic strings soften that shock, so you hear a gradual fade out, like a more typical string instrument. It depends on the effect you want.

For the sort of raucus, exciting dance music I play, in the sorts of rowdy dance parties I play at, I actually like my music to be shockingly sudden, and you probably couldn't hear sympathetic strings anyway. But if you're playing a concert in some acoustically perfect hall, sympathetic strings would sound much sweeter and more beautiful. That's my take, anyway.

You're doing the right thing, looking for a local teacher. But I have to confess that there aren't a lot of members on this tribe, so you might not find one here. The hurdy gurdy list (which I have a link to at the top of this tribe) has a lot more members and activity than this tribe, so you're more likely to find a tutor there. It will also fill up your inbox fast, so consider yourself warned.

Good luck!

I am in Traverse City, Michigan--not exactly near Chicago. there are players there, though, and in April they had a sucessful first gathering.

Rob,
I'm just starting to learn hurdy-gurdy myself. There seem to be a few players in the Chicagoland area, and a small concentration in Hyde Park (where I live - the University of Chicago).

I've also been looking for a good luthier in Chicago, but can't seem to find one that deals with hurdy-gurdies regularly. Are there any in Milwaukee?

Tim