John took a junk pair of multimeter probes, some sharp pogo pins, and turned them into what he calls the best probes he owns:
They are now dedicated to low voltage board work only and will easily probe directly to the pins of small parts like SSOP ICs – the spring in the pin always applies a slight pressure making it amazingly easy to keep the probe in place while working with one hand!
Just goes to show that some of the best tools are sometimes the ones you make yourself.
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For folks too lazy busy to roll their own, Pomona makes a great set of spring-loaded needle probes. $35 at Jameco. http://goo.gl/VoEWg