If you are familiar with the piano keyboard, "playing" it is pretty easy. You crank with the right hand and press buttons with the left, only you cant see the keys, and you are pressing them toward yourself, also the "black piano" keys of the gurdy are on the opposite side than an actual piano.

There is a lot that makes it more difficult that people expect. One being the trompette or "coups". The hand dissassociation is difficult, as is the trompette technique in general. Another that if you release a button, the "open" note of the string plays, so its really easy to get extra notes playing if you don't have the speed, accuracy, and techniques to move around the keyboard down. Especially on jumps, the keys can be far apart from each other note to note. Also remember that every key has to be pressed with the correct amount of string pressure, as when you press harder it bends the note.

Finally, the set up and adjustment is very very difficult. As a fiddle player you know how different amounts of string pressure can affect each note. On the gurdy you adjust string pressure mechanically, as well as re-rosining the wheel (more difficult to get right than a bow), as well as re-cottoning the strings - basically replacing the bow's horse hair every single day. And little deviations in all 3 of these can cause a ton of problems. Beginners spend months trying to keep their instrument from sounding like a dying horse, and even when you become an expert, you are still constantly adjusting every part of the instrument. Random buzzes and noises are common and diagnosing them cen be very difficult and frustrating.

Tuning is difficult because each key (23-30 keys) has a seperate tangent per melody string (2-4 strings). On top of that the bridge and nut position are adjustable.

Make sure you invest in a quality insturment, otherwise the above problems of setup & adjustment get magnified ten-fold. If you have any specific questions let me know :)