Mmmmm.....Ptung is incorrect when he implies you cannot get a good, solid, vintage player all set up and poppin', for cheap.
...it's difficult to argue that a $800 vintage saxophone is going to compete very well with a $800 good PRC saxophone (in an informed marketplace). Again, I say that as a lover and dealer of vintage saxophones.
That's a very puzzling comment, to say the least...considering all the good vintage horns you could pick up in good playin' shape for 8 bill$. A bit outrageous really, to suggest a low-budget contemporary Taiwanese instrument could even compete with an instrument by a great old american or European maker at the height of their production quality. (I mean, if one takes tone and quality of craftsmanship out of the equation, I suppose an argument could be made. It might be an argument one would expect from someone trying to sell inexpensive Taiwanese horns, however) ...although I gotta agree with the part about it not being a good idea to listen to one person....
In the past month I have seen a few 10M's, Buescher 400's and Aristos, King Zephs, Beaugniers, and several nice older Yanigasawa stencils NOT sell for ridiculously low asking prices...and they were in good playing shape. These, as one example.
You have a great advantage at the moment...the market keeps going DOWN...race to the bottom, race to the bottom, folks. Horrible for guys like me who sells professionally refurbished horns...great for guys like YOU.
If you want NEW,
nothing you can get for $800 in a Tenor is gonna be worth a hill o' beans. It really isn't...and it's certainly NOT gonna have a big, round tone.
However...if your budget is now around $700...hell, yeah, man...you can get a great horn....you start to get into professional vintage models, reputed stuff...big-name manufacturers. The ol' American Five (King, Buescher, Conn, Holton, Martin)....or the heavy-hittin' German horns (Kohlert, Keilwerth) as well as some really good French stuff (Beaugnier/Vito/Noblet, Pierret, Dolnet). And as Haywood pointed out, if your timing is right you could almost even luck out on a vintage-but-not-too-so Japanese horn.....which isn't a piece o' Yammy23 silliness...
That's a pretty good list of players there. All have withstood the test of time and all have solid reputations. And $700 as a budget will get you a good Tenor....hell, $500 will, too.
And if your intention is to buy new and TOP the quality of any of the aforementioned....get ready to pay over $2500 to do that.....and it still won't get you the vintage tone.
PM me if interested, I have a crapload of Tenors on the bench at the moment...I can think of at least 4 that might be up your alley....