I've only been playing in my first "real" band for around three months now, but it was obvious by maybe our second or third practice that I need some ear plugs. Honestly, we don't even over do it at practice, just enough for everyone to hear themselves over the drums, and even from that I come away with sore ears, and ringing, it once lasted all through the rest of the day after practice, and a little of the next day.
Unfortunately, my financial situation is quite dire at the moment, and I just haven't had the time to look into it :lol:.
I absolutely will get some eventually though, because hearing is obviously such an important thing, I mean, even in daily life it's extremely important, but then as a musician it becomes 100 times more important, hate reading those horror stories about Paul Gilbert or Pete Townshend wrecking their ears because they played too loud.