I switched to the Laborie about 9 years ago and would never consider going back to a conventional end pin. My music is primarily jazz, although I have played in many buegrass collaborations and currently am a house bassist in a country music show. I use it for all styles.
Christian Laborie personally installed them on two of my instruments....and the key is getting the length correct in relationship to your height. Christian just stood back, sized me up, and made a decision on how long my pin should be. A few strokes with a hack-saw, and ouila! But if you are trimming the length yourself, best to have someone there to help you size it up before you cut the ($75) shaft!
Most classical players stand while using the Laborie-- Francois Rabbath being the principal advocate of this endpin--however you can sit on a bass stool with it. I normally take a bass stool on jazz gigs, but I do not sit on every piece...it depends. If I am accompanying a vocalist or performing a nice ballad, it is very comfortable to sit back with the Laborie. However, if you need to stand up in order to get more pull or speed on the strings, that works too.
Because I am not a classical player, I was skeptical at first about trying the Laborie pin, until I watched Rufus Reid plug one into the bottom of his beautiful old 1805 German bass while participating in one of Rabbath's seminars. I figured, if it works for Rufus, it will work for me.
Although the Laborie requires a hole be drilled at a 44 degree angle through the bottom block, it does not affect the sound and isn't an irreversible procedure. A competent luthier could fashion a plug to close the hole, if one wanted to do it. The Laborie originally came only in carbon fibre. That is what I have. They now market a wooden pin. I actually think the carbon fibre is the better choice for a number of reasons.
When you install a Laborie, you are supposed to remove your straight enpin. I never did, because there was no rattle or buzz leaving it in on any of my instruments. The Laborie definitely changes the center of gravity and takes a little getting used to, but I love mine.
