Turntable Recommendation for Beginner

Well Tempered Amadeus with a Zyx cartridge
or
a used BASIS Turntable (clever solution for the coming years)

Denon 47F, with a 103 cartridge. Must be brought as a pickup purchase. Any type of shipping will destroy it, no matter what 'packing experts' will tell you.

If you can get your hands on a new or low-mileage Thorens TD-700 it is very nice for the price.It gets the basics right in a way the Music-Halls of the world do not. You get a substantial and gorgeous-looking thick acrylic platter, electronic speed switching between 33 and 45, a very precise hidden belt mechanisim with a nice motor, a decent tonearm and great sound. When funds permit, ditch the included cartrige (actually not bad) for an Ortofon Blue, and you have a killer package for not much money. It is a joy to use.

Just because the OP is a beginner to vinyl again doesn't mean he has to start out with a beginner turntable. I am new to vinyl after the same peroiod of time. I bought a VPI Superscoutmaster and Zesto Audio Andros, I couldn't be happier and don't have to go through endless upgrades.
The recommendation of the VPI Classic is a good one.

The Zesto has gotten wonderful reviews. I firmly believe that to get what vinyl really has to offer, you have to go to a certain threshold. Admittedly, I have not heard the recent small VPI or any number of others that are in the 2-3000 dollar ballpark. But, as you note, Moonguy, the phono stage is also important. I'd rather see somebody look for a used higher quality phono stage than buy a budget one, just to get in the door. At the price of the Zesto (and also, I gather the Fosgate has gotten a good reception, although i haven't heard it either), the price of entry for a very high quality phono stage is, if not cheap, more accessible.