Many players will recommend starting on the Yamaha student horns like YAS-23 alto or YTS-23 tenor, purchased used.  These horns have a very good reputation, and are very well made, and  most techs are familiar with working on them.  You can buy them at 1/2 or less than the price of a new horn.  Many of the YAS-23 horns sell for about $500, and may require a couple of humdred dollars worth of repair work, but much better than spending $2K+ on a new horn and having it lose 1/2 of its value as soon as you play it.

Alto or tenor?  If you have never played a woodwind, I think it is much more important to listen to saxophone music, and decide which sound you prefer.  The alto may be a bit easier to play initially, but if it's not the sound you are looking for, why start there?

Finish?  Who cares.  It should be a personal choice.  If you are not sure you will stay with the saxophone, then it is probably better for resale to get a brass finished one.  But again, it is a personal choice. 

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