Discontinued 3VR1VM308 Volume pot and no aftermarket parts available :(

I bought an Ibanez SR3005 bass guitar in 2001. I have recently found out that there Ibanez discontinued making certain electronic parts for this and similar guitars and there is no suitable aftermarket parts available anywhere that I can tell. the volume pot, for instance, which is the most use pot on a bass (some would argue) is discontinued and Ibanez has not come up with a suitable part to replace it. the part number is 3VR1VM308. they have a current volume pot with a solid shaft that bears the same code number but the original volume button will not fit. The shaft supposed to be a coarse spline shaft.

Does anybody out there have any idea how to find a part for an expensive guitar that no longer exists in the original makers inventory or in aftermarket supplies......

 

The first link is the proper pot and it would work but the shaft is solid and the original is has a coarse split spline. The 4 piece ones your referenced may be the only suitable option but I am unaware if it will fit the hole in the guitar or be the right length. thank you for your post and information. I believe the original volume pots were OK but they didn't last long before they had static issues, noise issues, intermittent signal, etc....

 

Yes, indeed. That looks like the culprit but I have tried through Ibanez Japan, USA and Canada and none of them suggested this as an alternative. All technicians who service Ibanez guitars are pleading with the company to produce a suitable replacement since they discontinued making the original part. they discontinued this and other "3VRXXXXX" parts a couple of years ago apparently. I suspect they realized the parts had a short lifespan and decided to stop the production but have not managed to design and build a better replacement. I think Ibanez might eventually have to replace this part for free in all guitars with the poor quality parts. At least I'd hope they would. In the meantime, I'd love to just get a proper volume pot before mine decides to inhibit issues. SO far it is working OK with some scratchiness that deoxit or lubrication cannot resolve. My guess is it will eventually fail so I use my volume sparingly.