When is a laminated or hybrid bass preferable to a carved bass?

[Joel Larsson]

It sure would be a cool thing to bring a Maggini to a psychobilly gig... but I wouldn't.

I haven't played amplified since I was 17, but perhaps Arnold has a point. I have heard amplified laminates sound real good. What makes people pay a hundred grand and more is more acoustic quality than anything else. Wasn't it even rather common back in the day to stuff your bass with whatever would keep the bass from vibrating, because these players preferred the sound that the bridge pickup picked up (duh), and they had grown tired of feedback problems? I remember an old teacher of mine telling me about this. Stuffing a good bass to make it NOT sound seems rather silly; you better save your bucks and get a laminate then. Or even an electric upright, but they are usually about as expensive.