Has anyone ever changed the headphone internal parts?

Apparently, out of warranty, and one of the copper conductors in the headphone jack has POPPED out ! what a pain in the tookis ! So apple re-directed me to this website (DYI), gazzelle.com to exchange my iPod or cost (apple gift card), or get 10% in the store off a new iPod. Terrific options ! Especially, when I was planning to get the new iPhone4 August 20 the day my contract ends w/ verizon, only to learn that apple is taking the iPhone to verizon by christmas, as per NYT. Trying to figuire out the best way to handle this. Gazzle.com was a bust . . . it's for bikes (Idiot . . . not genius). Looked at manual on this site and looks iffy . . . not sure, feel like i need to order "just in case parts", and not sure it's worth losing the option of getting the gift card for value of the phone. But overall, hate to buy any iPod device when iPhone is coming to verizion . . . GURRRRRRRRR . . .