If you decide the custom route,I can't believe no one has recommended Maddog.A great shooting bow for almost half of your budget.

Sorry about the loss of your son.

My suggestion is to find a nice one piece recurve. My first bow was a Ben Pearson KM Special. Beautiful Zebra Wood. It was inexpensive $150. I have bows like Great Plains, Zipper, Blacktail, Bob Lee, Assenheimer, etc and the Ben Pearson is still a favorite and fun bow to shoot. It is 45# at 28".

If I had to pick a high dollar custom bow, I would start with an Assenheimer. Hard to beat it for the price.

Matt

ok...no problem.hang in there.

Sorry to hear about your boy.

A lot of great ones out there.  I like the Predator 3 pc TD bows.  You can get a hunter for a good price used.  You can get an upgraded one used at your price a lot of times.  You can get a light limb to start and then buy or trade for heavier limbs.  That way you stay with the same bow at least for a while.  The limbs are interchangeable without fitting.  It will have some mass to help steady his shooting.  They are a great performing bow of high quality.

I would also consider something a little more high-tech if he likes that.  A plunger hole bow so you can easily tune arrows with an elevated rest for more forgiveness is not a bad way to go for a beginner.  I don't know what is out there for an ILF for that price, but again a 3pt. TD you can change limbs on is a nice option.