How long is a piece of string?
It's ultimately an unanswerable question - far too many variables.
Assuming he hasn't yet found one:
That said, I'd suggest staying with a brand that has been around a long time continuously, has a proven record of servicing and supporting their gear, and that is reasonably widely available.
If he wants something that's basically "turn-key," a Rega is the first that comes to mind. Excellent reliability, excellent sound, easy to use, etc. If he wants to noodle with it more, a used VPI could be a good choice, although there are a LOT of possible variations.
It's ultimately an unanswerable question - far too many variables.
Assuming he hasn't yet found one:
That said, I'd suggest staying with a brand that has been around a long time continuously, has a proven record of servicing and supporting their gear, and that is reasonably widely available.
If he wants something that's basically "turn-key," a Rega is the first that comes to mind. Excellent reliability, excellent sound, easy to use, etc. If he wants to noodle with it more, a used VPI could be a good choice, although there are a LOT of possible variations.