Thanks for the reply, and the advice. Mouthpieces is one thing I am curious about, as I understand there are three different bore sizes. I'll definitely be looking into that more in the future. Right now I'm just trying to get the playing part down; I can play treble clef fine, as it's the same as my trumpet, but reading the bass throws me because of the different fingerings due to being in a different key. I never was very good at transposing in my head, or with sight reading.
As for getting a new Mack rather than buying this used one, if I had the $$ in hand to day that would be the route I would go for sure. However, however, in order to keep playing while I save up to buy I'll have to rent for a while, so that rent money weighs into it as well. If I buy new later I've actually paid more because of the rent money I won't see any return on, but if I buy this one rent-to-own then I may be paying a couple hundred more, but my rent dollars aren't wasted. Aargh. Decisions, decisions!