The only mechanical part in this stick is a handle joint. Optical sensor, no potentiometers.
Unfortunately - MS stopped producing this beautifull devices. Probably the best thing ever made by MS since DOS 3.30.
Here in Russia people hunt Sidewinders and are ready to pay real money for them. The first MS SW 3D Pro (the one with a handle made for some kind of tentacle, not human hand) I bought in 1997 is still working, I sold it to one guy from Kaluga. I have a Precision Pro, first version without USB support.