3 Options for a Broken Bass: What Would You Do?

I have an Ibanez BTB400 series. Year unknown but it has the Ibanez (not Bartolini) pickups. I bought it off eBay about 3 1/2 years ago (I know... shoulda checked TB Classifieds first). After about a year of play the sweepable midrange pot crapped out. I am told by multiple sources that that is a proprietary Ibanez part that is virtually impossible to get... and after over 2 years of trying without success, I've had enough.

The bass is unplayable in its current condition so I have been doing some research and these appear to be my options:

1) Replace everything but the pickups with an all-new aftermarket system (e.g., an Aguilar preamp and pots package for which I was quoted $215 + installation)

2) Replace only the faulty mid control using a fixed frequency boost/cut pot (similar to the current, stock bass and treble controls); this would run me the price of a pot ($5-10), + installation

3) Invest nothing more and try to sell the bass as-is.

If I go with option 1, I will essentially be spending as much to fix the bass as I spent on it to begin with... and while I like the bass, I'm not in love with it. I don't want to be that guy who puts $3,000 worth of rims and rubber on a 73 Pinto but it kind of feels like I'd be doing that here. Going with this approach would almost obligate me to keep the bass because I would never get that investment back out of it on resale. Is a BTB a good enough bass to warrant that kind of additional investment?

Option 2 would make the bass playable again at a fraction of the cost of option 1 -- albeit without part of its original functionality -- and then I could either keep it or sell it (and put that money towards another bass... possibly a G&L or something else closer to the Fender "family tree"); the question there is, would I have more trouble selling it (or have to offer it at a deep discount) because the sweepable mid no longer exists?

Option 3 really doesn't sit well with me but potentially could be the easiest way out if I could find a buyer and were willing to take a major loss on the sale. Basically pawn in it off on the next owner (with disclosure, of course) and let him/her decide how to fix it. The problem with that option is that I would wind up practically giving it away so at the end of the day I'd be out the bass and have very little money to put towards a replacement either.

What would you do?

 

If it makes any difference... the bass in question is/was NOT my main player. That's a 78 Precision. I bought the BTB to be my backup and also give me some tonal options I couldn't get from my P.

 

Thank you everyone.

Option 2 it is. I'm gonna take it in to my local bass maintenance guru and discuss options with him that involve only replacing the midrange pot vs. a total swap-out of all the electronics. Go for the lowest cost solution that makes it playable again and then decide whether I like it enough to keep it or put it on the block.

 

I think the pickups are already passive. Would kind of like to keep the active functionality if possible so I have an active counterpart to my P-Bass. As far as I can tell the preamp is still good, it's just the concentric midrange pot that has crapped out. But I'll know more after my guy opens it up.

 

Agreed. I am REALLY not happy with how this has all played out. I'm just thankful that it (hopefully) will not be a more expensive lesson learned.

 

I ordered it through my local music store too, and nada. In fact the guy who ordered it for me isn't even there anymore and I don't have time or inclination to go through the maze again.

I'm glad it worked out for you, but 2 years is long enough for me. I'm moving on.

 

UPDATE and FWIW:

Just on a lark and as a last ditch effort I went onto the Ibanez Website and e-mailed them regarding availability and price of the part in question. Within 10 minutes one of their people had e-mailed me back saying they would be happy to help and could I please provide the serial # of my bass. So we'll see where this goes.

 

Yeah I'm gonna feel pretty stupid if they send me out a part after I've been stressing on it for two years. Like, duh, why didnt I just go on their Website in the first place. But at least it will be playable / sellable.