Ryan: I sometimes stop by a local chain-music-store and visit with the clerk there - a nice guy who does his own overhauls and likes vintage saxophones. He did a Buescher TT bari and then moved it on in favor of a newer Yamaha bari. I don't know baritones, but he claimed the Yamaha had superior keywork (I believe THAT) and the intonation on the Yamaha was much better (that could be). I suspect this guy would have liked to play the TT bari if it played like a modern horn - apparently it didn't.
I've owned and played a number of vintage Buescher sopranos (curved and straight) and altos. I feel more comfortable discussing them.
I have two straight silver TT sops from 1928 (the "late" versions - roller G#, etc.). I have played the earlier versions (button G#) and except for that one difference, all TT's I've played sounded the same (generally) and played great - even those in need of some work. My one TT sop is my favorite soprano from among all the sopranos (hi-end modern and vintage) I own and all the ones I've ever played (modern and vintage).
Vintage curvies I don't like, but I recognize others do. The curved TTs have maybe the sweetest tone but that is reallty subjective. What bothers me about vintage curvies is the right-hand bell-pad-cup - I always seem to hit it with my right fingers and I find that to be distracting. My curved Yanagisawa has left-hand bell pad-cups and finger interference is not an issue. The newest curved Yanagisawas moved the bell-pad-cups to the right side of the bell, but they also canted the bell to the left so that a player's fingers don't interfere with the bell-pad-cups.
I've owned old Conns too (are there any new ones? I don't think so) and have never played one with a decent scale (curved and straight). The Conns I've played had huge voices, though, and the guy who got me started on soprano (George Probert of the Firehouse Five plus Two, a famous Dixie band out of Disney Studios years ago) STILL plays an old clapped-out Conn sop. I don't know of ANYONE who had/has the power of George Probert on soprano.
I also owned a King Saxello - terrible scale, interesting look. I would advise against one of those for several reasons. I tried a co-worker's straight King soprano once and the scale was as bad as my Saxello (side-by-side). Hard to "dis" a whole line of horns based on limited experiences, though.
The one vintae soprano I've never played is The Martin. I'd like to do so. They have a great tonal reputation - I know nothing about their intonation.
Bottom line? Look for a Buescher straight TT soprano, preferably with the roller G#. DAVE