hi misty-
i think cannabass is on the right track. if your husband is just starting out, he'll need to begin with some solid foundational stuff. there is no substitute for a good bass teacher, but there are a lot of books and resources these days that are excellent at helping a beginner get up and running.
the tablatures are ok for someone wanting to be able to learn how to play a song quickly; however, they are no substitute for actually learning the notes on the bass and how to read music. tablature is more of a shortcut than anything else, but keep in mind it can be a crutch for a beginner, as well.
a pretty popular comprehensive electric bass method book is this:
http://www.melbay.com/product.asp?ProductID=98515SET
this series has been around for many, many years and has a pretty decent collection of exercises and concepts that move in a mostly progressive order. it might be a good place to start. a couple of other great bass method books:
the improviser's bass method, by chuck sher
the evolving bassist, by rufus reid
if he has internet access, might i also suggest the 'bass first steps' course that can be found at musicdojo:
www.musicdojo.com
that is a great course that is interactive and would allow your husband to get feedback from bass instructor len sitnick on a daily basis.
others may chime in with some other suggestions, but this might be a good place to start. hope that helps!
adam
