There is a lot to take in here, and I appreciate it! As I suspected, the differences are subtle, innumerable, and in the end, magic comes into play. The days of music stores are gone, however. It's primarily internet shopping now, with all the risks. I'll keep using my Chinese horn for some time because I have the beginner's road ahead of me still, and I can't afford to take risks on horns that are complete unknowns to me. Eventually, when justified by improved skill, and I have saved enough, I'll see what I can afford and judge according to the catalog or listing description, I suppose. I remember once, long ago, buying a Gibson guitar sight-unseen on the basis of reputation and getting a 'lemon' that was 'off', couldn't be well intonated, and lacked resonance/response. I sold it on without losing money thanks to the brand, but learned to judge by actual tactile engagement with the instrument, not by name brand, and taught myself to re-do frets, nuts, and bridges because almost no off-the-hook instruments are finely set up from the factory. With horns, to some extent, it seems like you roll the dice and gamble your c-notes, and you just get lucky on a magic horn, or you don't.
