Skybone

If it's good enough for Geezer...

Always thought they were a rather good looking bass.

Under the Moon of Love - Showaddywaddy

The Kestrel is still there thankfully, though that blue on the Kingfisher is lovely. SE Kestrel - 2021 (prsguitars.com)

Radio Gnome Invisible - Gong

This. Distortion, Fuzz & Overdrive on bass can be a bit too much, and IMO, tends to get lost, even with all the new & improved sound sculpting options available today. Yes, the type of music being played, and the band playing it is important. If a driven sound is appropriate for the type of music, then an ear should be stuck out for how the bass will sit in the mix with the other instruments, especially if there are more than guitar, bass & drums involved.

What you could do is set up a "core sound", and then do multiple copies of it, adding various effects to each one, so you could cycle up & down your patches as needed. I'm using the Line6 HD500x, and use a similar ethos, although I also have the added bonus of being able to switch effects on & off on the different patches.

Saw this on eBay: Valeton Dapper Bass Guitar Multi-Effects Pedal Strip with BOOST COMP ENVELOPE | eBay There's always the old Zoom B3 as well: Zoom B3 Bass Effects & Amp Simulator | eBay

Tear It Up - Queen

Out of the choices on your list, the Valeton Dapper should be more than adequate. But for the price of a new Dapper, you could possibly find a second hand Tech21 Bass Fly Rig. I'd also say that a Zoom B1 Four might be worth a look. Instead of using and relying on the presets, try building up your own patch(es), as you would with a new amp and/or effects pedals. Better still, you can use the Editor on your computer.

King of Wishful Thinking - Go West

If the hum disappears when you touch the bridge, I'd guess that it was down to a bad earth connection.

All Friends and Kingdom Come - Monster Magnet

The Streets of London - Ralph McTell

Girl From Mars - Ash

Nice and punchy sound to them, always liked the concentric pots. That Deluxe is a beauty, always fancied one of those as well. Stupidly part-exed my first Special for an Encore Strat. Always regretted it. Found another on eBay about 2005, unfortunately it didn't live up to my memory of them. Both were 1984 models.

I had the SB Special II (twice), which was the same bass, but with 2 of the "P" pole humbucker (instead of the J pickup at the bridge).

Forgot about this beauty: Korean "ProSeries StarBass 4 in Sunburst with case £825 - Basses For Sale - Basschat

If you can find one that has a solid spruce top, rather than a laminated top, that's a great starting point. They tend to sound a bit less "boxy" than one's that have laminated tops. Vintage used to do a solid top with a laminated mahogany back & sides for about £100. Good little guitars. An Auditorium or Parlour size would be a good choice for a non player, as size-wise they're a bit more manageable. I'd also recommend that your friend buys a set of wooden bridge pins rather than the plastic ones that come with the guitar. They really do liven the sound up, especially on cheaper acoustics. Taylor Guitars Bridge Pins, Ebony at Gear4music Another thing to look for is a "pure" acoustic guitar (no on-board pre-amp & pickup). At that price point, the pre-amp tends to be not the best. EastCoast G1S Grand Auditorium Acoustic Guitar - Andertons Music Co. Taylor Bridge Pins Ebony (Set of 6) - Andertons Music Co.

Recently asked a similar question in "Other Instruments": Electronic Drums - Any BC Knowledge Out There? - Other Instruments - Basschat My son wanted a drum kit, an electronic kit was the obvious choice, so I managed to track down a second hand Alesis Nitro Mesh kit. My son's made up with it, it sounds really good, and there's a load of tutorial stuff available online if you register the kit with Alesis (though he's happiest to bang about playing along with Spotify). The Bass drum pad is the usual rubber, but the snare & toms are mesh heads. The more money you have available, you'll obviously get a better kit, but the mesh heads are the way to go. Good luck.

Blood and Thunder - Mastodon

Revelation would be another brand to have a look at.

For some reason, this really appeals:

Religous Wars - Subhumans

No Limit - 2 Unlimited