Mechanic's Stethoscope Review

I recently purchased a mechanic's stethoscope. It's a Silverline branded version (and also the cheapest one that I could find!). I put off buying one of these for years as I thought sticking my ear to the end of a long screwdriver was just as good. I can tell you now that it isn’t, this is much better.
If you don’t know what one is used for then basically you put your probe on the outer case of the engine and you can then have a listen to the noise emanating from inside. It’s useful for trying to track down and take an educated guess at where or what is causing that engine noise that might be bothering you. I tried it on the noisy old GS500. Funnily enough, this engine actually sounds quieter when listened to via the stethoscope. It’s air cooled and I think all those fins tend to amplify any noises that are present.
It’s actually quite therapeutic listening to the engine working away. Probably not quite so calming if you’re listening to a big end bearing knocking away like a good-un. But in summary, it’s an inexpensive tool that I think is definitely worthy of a place in your toolbox.