My 0.2$
I bought a CV 70 SQ P bass for pennies that was literally perfect in everyway and would have kicked that into the grass. The trouble with these so called "Luthiers" is there is no quality control, they don't have to answer to the man above smoking the big Havana so to speak.
Those scratches, tatty frets and markers?..At that price? No way. Whoever sent that badly finished bass out needs to redress the balance asap.
However don't name him on here yet as it could make him disappear altogether seeing as he's already pushing back. Better to show him this thread privately so he realises the community is not happy and that bad press moves like wildfire, then give him fair warning, if still no joy only then plaster him all over the place.