I've had about 5 controllers for my Xbox 360--nearly all of them were obtained by a separate means. At some point, like all controllers I guess, they started to falter. While they can't perform to my strict hair-trigger reflexes that I usually require to excel, they all still work for the most part(save for one unlucky bastard). So I visited one of those off-brand "miracle cure" electronic repair shops, and to my chagrin, they said they didn't do controllers. So I went to GameStop and asked for advice. The guy had the nerve to tell me just screw 'em and buy new ones!

Is this really what we've come to in the gaming world? Something doesn't work and we just say "Fuck off, I'll just replace it"? There are incredible memories tied to those controllers. Hundreds of incredible moments...

The day I tapped with all my might and WON.

The day I cried so hard--not because I lost, but because I finally felt hope.

The day I learned what love felt like.

The day I laughed so hard I actually started to choke and threw up(NSF ANYWHERE--all you sick bastards who wanted tits, you've finally got your wish.).

The part--I mean day, when I unlocked what I still consider is the greatest achievement ever made.

etc.

I've put my roots into these controllers, and not to mention that a few of them are special/limited editions that they don't even make anymore. And I'm expected to just throw them away if they're not 100%? AT SIXTY DOLLARS EACH!?!

No.

I'm not amenable to that. So is it possible to find a fairly priced controller repair shop? Sending them away would be out of the question--that's the fastest way to lose them forever. Is it possible for me to do it myself? How can I keep these controllers lasting a little bit longer?

You can't hurt it just by opening it up, unless you do it in such a way the pieces fall out and you lose some, so I'd start by doing that, with the controller face-down, and seeing if anything looks wrong. For reference you can open up a working controller or just do an image or video search.
You'll want to touch a large metal object to get rid of static electricity before you touch anything inside. Buttons can get misaligned, components can slip, and crumbs can get into things, and those are fairly easy to fix. If you know how to solder (and have the equipment) you can reattach electrical parts that have come loose. Occasionally a piece of plastic will break and you should be fine fixing it with superglue. Past that, I'm sure there are guides on fixing them, but I don't have any handy, and I don't know anyone that fixes controllers. If the problem is an analog stick, unless it's got crumbs in it, the problem is probably beyond a realistic fix. (I've come to accept my sticks will click after I've had a controller for a while.)
360 controllers have come down a good bit from $60, if it's just a matter of a price change, although they're still over half that unless you get lucky. I get being attached to a controller, but if you have several you really like and most of them work I don't know why you're focused on one particular broken one. Anyway good luck whichever way you go.

Also, if you don't feel like googling.

You draw the line at acquiring 6 controllers over time. 5 is fine, 6 is a crime.

I just want to make sure I understand you :)

I get being attached to a controller, but if you have several you really like and most of them work I don't know why you're focused on one particular broken one. Anyway good luck whichever way you go.

Misunderstanding--all of my controllers have minor problems that disrupt my normal style of gameplay. One particular case is a lost cause. I accidentally dropped it, and out of reflexive instinct, I shot my foot out to try and catch it, and that only sealed its fate when I wedged it between the legs of a table. Now the B button is literally stuck underneath the plating and constantly presses B the instant it's turned on. I was close--if it was the A button, I'd have never had to worry about that damned race ever again.

But they're all different problems, that all affect how I play Sonic and Halo. It's multiple controllers that need fixing.

Also, if you don't feel like googling.

I googled for controller repair shops, but thanks for the link! I'll try it out on my next day off.

You draw the line at acquiring 6 controllers over time. 5 is fine, 6 is a crime.

I just want to make sure I understand you :)

Again, entirely different means. But if you must know, you little smart-aleck...

2 came with the original 360 I bought
1 was with the Collector's Edition of Halo 3 ODST
1 was a wired controller I bought for use on the PC(it can plug into an Xbox though, so I'm counting that)
and finally, 1 that came with the Xbox 360 Slim.

Again, these controllers weren't bought as a replacement to a previous one. They simply accumulated.

Satisfied?

I don't really know about online repair shops, never looked for one. A local shop might be willing to look at it, but the problem is by the time you pay for any labor at all you'll likely have been better off buying a controller (and that's if they can even order spare parts, which is doubtful). Come to think of it, something you find online will probably be the same story, for that reason plus shipping costs.

That might be why you've had trouble finding repairers, actually - paid repairs just aren't worth it for items under a certain retail price.

I think you're best off going the route that Vagueness mentioned. Take one apart and see what's in there. Especially with that controller that has the stuck button. I had one like that once, and the act of simply taking it apart and re-assembling aligned it properly. And once you have one of them apart, you can start to make note of which components are separate from the main board - anything you can disconnect from that can be swapped between controllers easily, so you might be able to replace some things. Probably best to move good components out of the standard controllers and into the special edition ones, if possible.