Eastern Music doesn't have much on their eBay store. Well, at least their tenor horns finishes are really not aligned with my taste and I can't imagine spending $5 on them (to each their own right?).
I'm primarily a clarinet (2 Buffets) and alto sax (Selmer Seles Axos) player. I just ordered a bass clarinet (the Kessler!). I figure at some point I'll add a tenor sax. So I definitely do not need a top of the line horn at this point, and I won't be playing it much (I've got plenty to keep me busy). I'm just watching the prices rise on these Chinese horns and Taiwanese ones are already all the way up there. Wondering if this is a point to jump in or not. I don't have the time (or energy) to search for a used one that will need regular work. So many folks seem quite happy with their Chinese purchase but we all have different experiences and expectations...
I bought a $60 Glory flute on AMZN a bunch of years ago. It plays well and sounds surprisingly good. I don't play it much so it hasn't broken. At that price I'd just buy a new one (I don't think it's repairable, it's quite soft). That said, $60 is a lot less than $750. I'd want the $750 horn to be repairable.
Maybe I should just wait and let the urge pass... sigh.
In a moment of weakness, I bought a Glory Tenor Saxophone on Amazon. In my mind, the worst-case scenario was that I had just spent $251.88 on something that would become wall art in my office. I had carefully read each of the reviews on Amazon and also dug up an older posting on this forum that ranked in a 7/10 when compared to the other "cheap" saxophones offered on Amazon. It arrived a week ago, and I played it for the first time in Community Band last Tuesday evening. I'm using it today in our Spring Concert.
When I took it out of the case for the first time, the left-hand cluster of keys was bent forward, but I was able to rectify that easily enough. I tossed the mouthpiece, ligature, and reeds that were provided and replaced them with a Yamaha 4C mouthpiece, a Yamaha ligature, and a Vandoren 3.5 reed. I was surprised when it actually played from low Bb to high F# fairly easily. From what I can tell, it plays mostly in tune. Now, it's rather 'tinny' compared to my mainstay Yamaha YBS-52, and the lacquer is thin and unevenly applied in some spots which results in a cloudy appearance. It plays, though, and from ten feet away, it looks like a decent instrument.
I only play Tenor Saxophone for a collective 5 minutes out of a one-hour performance, at best. We're short one player right now, and I cover the Tenor Saxophone parts as-needed. It's entirely for recreation and not professional purposes by any means. From my perspective, the Glory plays just as easily as the Bundy I was borrowing from another member. I don't see it surviving the long-term test of time with regular, daily use; however, for the couple of minutes I use it once a week, it's OK. And, I can deal with that.
I did try a TaiShan Baritone Saxophone last year before buying a brand-new Yamaha, and I was disappointed with it. The craftsmanship was poor, at best, and it was a bear to keep consistently in tune. It was a beautiful instrument in a rose gold finish, but it wasn't for me. I set it aside and passed it along to someone who just wanted a Baritone Saxophone to play with after fighting with it through three rehearsals. Perhaps it was just a dud -- it seems some people have also received dud Glory Tenor Saxophones from Amazon. I never considered a TaiShan Tenor Saxophone following that experience. Had it not been for the price tag, my hesitation on the Glory would still be preventing me from purchasing it, too.
I don't know if this has helped you any, chriskol, but if you're just wanting a Tenor Saxophone to play with, consider the Glory. Like your Flute, it may just do the trick -- short-term and in a complete hobbyist manner of speaking!