I actually benefitted from a courier's clumsiness.
Acoustic guitar arrived with a broken headstock, full refund from the seller, I had it repaired and sold it.
As I said, a good luthier will have no trouble making that good as new.
That is repairable...
Any good luthier will be able to put that right for less than the price of a new decent quality neck.
I've got to agree with @hiram.k.hackenbacker
ASSUME THE WORST.
I always work from the premise that couriers are idiots, assume the worst and try to compensate for that with lots of bubble wrap, a case if possible and lots of packing.
Sorry it took this to learn. Understand you being angry.
I ended up ordering a Ki0gon loom.
I didn't know anything about the one with the bass - the Ki0gon one will be bullet proof and I will have his expertise to fall back if needed.
I played one at LBGS - very tempted to buy one but held my nerve.
Usual MM playability but with a much wider tonal range. Nolonger available so you won't see many come up for sale - I think this is the third I've seen - the value will probably go one way - UP.
You can't always be the world's conscience. Where do you stand on Bob Marley? Serial drug abuser. Gregory Isaacs - another serial drug abuser who openly funded the Gun Trade. Bill Wyman - his involvement with an under age Mandy Smith was shocking in the 80s - nobody mentions it today. George Michael's high profile gay encounter in the toilets? The allegations about Michael Jackson are still contested - not proved.
The great painters were mostly drug using, alcohol abusing dysfunctionals - Van Gogh is a classic case. James Dean was a well known "outsider" - his circle of friends included "circus freaks".
Time judges people in different ways. You can not be held accountable for the actions of those whose material you reproduce.
You're not doing anything wrong. Eventually the skin will harden without falling off (unless you're plucking really hard).
I noticed that when I stopped playing over the winter (arthritis) my fingertips softened and playing roundwounds was "painful". Thankfully most of my basses have tapewounds - like using fairy liquid for strings. I've been swapping all my roundwounds for flats or tapes which are much easier on the fingertip but give a warmer, phatter tone - not everybody's Cappuccino.
I've never used this fella but a friend recently bought a guitar built by Graham in the 80s. Guitar still in good condition.
https://nodenguitars.co.uk/
Wot no Brass nut!!??
Seems that you had far less trouble getting gold hardware than I did...love the upgrades - ignore what I said in the "Modding.." thread.