Loaded question.
So many factors involved here.
Unplugged volume for me comes down to string selection, playing technique, solid or laminated top, body size and shape and string height.
Plugged in playing also varies with strings, Pre-Amp, but body size also comes into play for deepness. Timbre changes with neck scale from deep for long scale and to tubby/thump for shorter scale, but it isn't always the rule.
You'll hear all kinds of opinions here as volume gets confused with tone. You can get a louder volume and have a less deep tone. You can have a deeper tone and yet have a lower volume. There's volume that you as the player hear which is totally different from what those around you hear. Deep tone you can feel as you play, especially a solid wood bass. Most good ABGs will at least have a solid wood top. If you have an ABG that is all laminated woods you'll definitely be better off playing it plugged in. Laminated wood just doesn't resonate like solid wood, but then again, bracing is a factor as well as the top wood thickness. However, a bass made of all laminated woods can still have a decent deep tone when plugged in.
Then there's body size & depth. The EB Earthwood is worshipped here, but I've never played one. Based on its size and construction I have to assume it is at least deep and loud. 18 1/2" lower bout width; 14" upper bout width; 6 1/2" depth; 25" body length, 50" total length, 34" scale. This is a big bass.
Tacoma Thunderchief is another worshipped ABG. Again, I never played one. TC is 17 3/4" across at widest bottom point; 4 1/2" deep" 12 1/2" across the body at upper bout, 21 1/2" body-only length.
The Guild B-50 gets legendary praise, but has no electronics. Again, I never played one. Scale length: 30 7/8", Body width: 18", Body depth: 6 3/4", Body length: 21 3/8"
Unplugged volume is important to some, while plugged in deep tone is more important to others. Then there's the folks who say 'if I have to plug in I might as well play my P bass', who completely don't get it and aren't really worth getting their opinion if you're serious about an ABG.
If you play the dead-fish handshake light touch style with super low action you'll never get heard playing unplugged unless the person is your significant other sitting in your lap regardless of what ABG you play.
There's an ABG that has has a pre-amp that I can't praise enough and yet headstock snobs dump on it without ever even touching one. It has the APHEX Aural Exciter & Big Bottom circuitry. Plugged in, it is just awesome. I'd love to experiment with this preamp by putting it into other ABGs to see what it would do compared to the venerable Fishman preamp which you find in a lot of good ABG basses.
Cutout versus no cutout. Some swear not to play a cutout as the body has less internal area.
Body shape size: Bigger is generally regarded as better, but this subject doesn't seem to delve in body shape style like comparing Jumbo to Dreadnaught to Concert to blah, blah, blah which I think is also worth exploring as this too impacts internal area.
The dreadnaught's I own do have more internal area, but not necessarily solid wood all around or at least solid tops. The Ovation Celebrity I own has a rounded composite back and that bass has a very surprising deep dark tone. However, the round back makes it awkward or at least feel awkward to play.
Playing with a pick makes a huge difference in unplugged playing. Type of pick also makes a difference. I like Wedgie picks as they are made of hard rubber and have less 'clack' sound.
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The ABG topic is an objective opinion and subjective opinion mine field. Even with my 22 ABGs, I don't have all of them with the same strings, so even I can't have a really objective opinion as much as a subjective opinion when I compare them.
And then besides all of this there is playing comfort. Generally the bigger the body the less playing comfort there is especially when playing for extended durations.
Also, there's feedback issues with playing plugged in. Know where the best place to be positioned with regard to your amp location. A notch filter is a godsend, but not all ABG pre-amps have one, but they really do help with feedback.
You've heard this a million times, but it is so true...try before you buy. However I'd add take someone with you to hear unplugged playing while you play and then switch as what you hear while playing unplugged is very different from what you'll hear when listening to the player rather than yourself.
Standard TB qualifier: Just MHO, YMMV
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