I'd prefer willow or maple because they are more durable woods and/or bend better. Usually on a well made bass they are just fit neatly and exactly, not wedged in. I think if the linings are bent and glued properly there's no real need to inlet them into the blocks. A good glue joint will outlast you, anyway! Strad did it on his violins and everyone copied him. Not every maker does it. There's a maker in Sydney who runs the linings smoothly across the blocks and joined with a long scarf joint. Looked a good idea to me but extra work. So you can inlet them if you like; there's plenty of wood on the blocks at the C bouts to allow this.
Either way, I don't think its going to make much difference to the sound. The linings are to provide a wider edge-grain gluing surface than the edge of the maple rib; as long as this is achieved i don't actually think it really matters what they're made of or whether they're inlet.
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