for typing, I find my Unicomp (buckling springs) is the best. It's noisy, but that's part of the charm.
If he wanted to get one on the cheap, an original Model M would be inexpensive and long-term way to get into BS boards.
http://pckeyboard.com/The keys on the Unicomp boards are good quality ABS, and the legends are dyesub. This means that the legends won't wear off as they're actually inked into the key and not just pad printed on top.
If he doesn't want to go BS, you can always replace the keycaps later to keep it looking good. A good set of PBT dyesub or doubleshot keys, though expensive, will keep going and going.
Hope it helps!