CASE: in the jazz realm way many stand-up bassists just can/will not play
without an amp (usually one that makes the instrument reproduce at 80-90dB
at 3m with a note-flat response down to 20Hz) even when working against
real piano and lo-vol jazz guitar in a small room no-reenforcement
situation. They don;t want to have to WORK to make the instrument sound and
thus CAN not get the intensity and tone out of the instrument acoustically.

As an arranger I would point out that the bass is not a very loud
instrument, and can easily be drowned out by a loud drum kit and piano. Even
all those basses lined up in an orchestra are not as loud as they look like
they should be.


"I'm beginning to suspect that your problem is the gap between
what you say and what you think you have said."
-george (paraphrased)