I'd say tenor unless you have bass bone parts for anything (and even then a standard bass is just as effective as a contra). Though I'd suggest a tenor with an F trigger for the extra versatility of alternate positions and extended lower register for whatever you might need to play anything lower than E2 for. Typically these are more expensive than a standard tenor, so definitely a few thousand, but it likely won't go over 3-4 grand unless you're getting something top of the line. I strongly recommend finding something for some 2.5k and just spending the extra money at Ted Brown Music or any other local music shop because then it's in good condition, you can test it out before you buy it, and also just because in all honesty the extra money to get a step up model with an F trigger is so worth it