Yes they are but the drawback is you have to be able to read, and there are not too many shortforms or emoticons in them either 
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I bought one once but couldn’t get it to scroll up when I finished reading the first screen so I threw it away
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Well after 8 Days and 0 responses, from beginners that have not purchased equipment yet, that was disappointing.
Oh well, live and learn
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My guess would be that if someone is accessing the forum they might already have the kit needed though.
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@Celticstar Well, I’m not a beginner who has not purchased any equipment yet, but still very much a beginner (stalled in B2B temporarily).
I did do as you advise in your initial post for my purchases. But, I also bought a guitar stand, which I didn’t see on your list. The only thing I’m missing from your list is the ear plugs, but as I said, I only play at low volume thus far, until I get a bass amp. I do have some simple ear plugs which I use when vacuuming 
, but I’ll get better earplugs when I get an amp I can use louder.
I have not gone down the rabbit hole for pedals and other add-ons, except for a headphone amplifier, the Vox amPlug 2 for bass. I know others in this forum prefer other models which can be used wirelessly, or just plug into the amp. But a headphone amp might be very useful for those starting out who can’t afford a bass amp right away, or need to be quiet when practicing.
On the other hand, I have probably invested in a few too many instruction books, some of which I’m not quite ready for yet (I’m working on learning to read music). I think books, whether in hard copy or electronic format, are another thing that you might warn newbies to go easy on obtaining, at least at first. Or maybe I’m the odd one, as I do like books, and many others can do without them.
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My thought also.
It’s all good. 
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I did not put it on the list because it is not really essential for an absolute beginner to start playing.
Just trying to keep the initial cost down for them.
I myself always use a stand.
Another thing not on the list is Strap Locks.
If you take the stand and straplocks pricing you are probably looking at the better part of an additional $100 to the absolute beginners start up costs.
Hearing loss is permanent and it’s just not worth the risk.
There are few regulars on the forum with tinnitus.
I do not think it, or you, are odd, 
Over the years I have collected many books.
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I’ve got tinnitus. Had it since an Aerosmith concert in 78 with Golden Eating opening. I was too close and they were too loud.
A stand and strap locks should set you back around $40. Less if you use the Fender rubber ones. An a frame stand goes for around $20. I store my bass on my Hercules, but my a frame is next to the practice spot and I set my guitar down on it often.
Maybe a list of next things to get might help
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Day 2 items.
Important, but not for making sound.
Stands are uber important if you have other living things in your home that can get anywhere near where your instrument is. Certainly less than a trip to the luthier to fix whatever happend when someone/thing knocked /sat on / spilled on / chewed on your new bass.
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Yes, and I’m sure I’m one of them, just not formally diagnosed. But I hear a high tone all the time; I’m pretty sure since that very loud Electric Light Orchestra concert I attended back in the late 1970s 
. Recently I’ve noticed some occasional sensitivity to sudden loud noises also, so I’ll be raising this issue with my doctor at my next appointment. I do use my son’s electric guitar amp (not a bass amp), but at the lowest volume for practicing. Otherwise I use the Vox amPlug with headphones, and keep the volume low.
Beginners can use the inexpensive rubber washer-type disks for strap locks, which also can be obtained from some beer bottles. I understand your point about the guitar stands as being not immediately necessary for beginners. But you need a safe place to store it when not using it. My guitar stand cost $32.95 when I bought it at Guitar Center, but I see now it’s gone up to $46.95, increasing like the price of many things these days.
These are some books I’ve bought for bass learning, but several are still too advanced for me:
- Bass Fitness - An Exercising Handbook by Josquin des Res (tab and notation)
- for lefties, the Left-Handed Bass Chord Picture Book by William Bay (fretboard illustrations, no music; it’s easier than trying to mirror in my head the illustrations showing the positions for right handed players.)
- various and sundry books for electric bass, by Carol Kaye (must know how to read music for these)
- some sheet music for bass lines, in both standard notation and tablature
I would not advise beginners to do what I did and get ahead of themselves with some of these books, especially without knowing how to read music (I’ve recently signed up for the Talking Bass “Simple Steps to Sight Reading” course, and also have a game-type app on my phone to learn the bass clef notes).
I do look forward to eventually using the Carol Kaye books, which include exercises, many of her own bass lines, and other lines in various types of styles. Just to be on the safe side, I bought a few of them now, as I don’t know if or for how long her children will continue selling her books when she is gone, and she is advanced in age now.
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haha, I attribute this to my 11 and 13 year old daughters who like to be heard, not tinnitus though.
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Or threw up on. 
One of my cats barfed on my guitar pedal board a while back. It took an afternoon and nearly an entire can of DeOxit to get it sorted out.
Boards get covers. Guitars and basses get stands with locking bands or wall hangers.
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My music room is alarmed and locked.
The one day I forgot to lock it my kids had friends over and one curious kid decided to see what was behind the door. The alarm took care of the kid though.
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I haven’t had an incident with my dog or cat yet (probably just doomed myself). And I’d prefer to keep it that way
My basses are closer to the door of the room, I’d rather one of them take a hit then a sax 
You obviously don’t live in Canada.
My 4.5" Padded strap alone cost me $47,
Schaller strap locks run around $37 here in Canada.
Single stands are about $26.
Thank you for the suggestions. I added the stand and strap locks to the equipment list in the OP
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I was just looking at Sax prices and was overwhelmed very quickly.
I would appreciate your opinion on the saxes that Yamaha produces?
Now I understand the lock and the alarm on your music room
Yamaha make excellent saxes.
Excellent musical instruments all around.
From beginner to pro level.
Their beginner saxes are excellent for kids etc as they are built very well and can take a bit of abuse. Anyone with a kid who wants to start playing sax, my advise is always a good Yamaha entry level alto or tenor, used vs. any other brand or renting, as you can get every dollar of your money back (assuming it wasn’t abused along the way).
For me though, I don’t feel like they have any ‘soul’ in them.
They are so well made to exacting specifications that all the nuance of something hand built is not there.
I had the same experience with their trumpets.
So, I do not own any.
The only one I would consider is their top end baritones, as they are simply powerhouses for funk, etc. But for old school jazz, etc, never.
They also do very well in classical music as they are so consistent though.
Hope that makes sense.
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