NPB_EST.1979 wrote:I'm not Joe, BUT....
You can go to any audiologist and get your hearing checked for free. I went to a place called Beltone and had it done. I went there with intentions of getting custom fit hearing plugs. They are MUCH better than the standard expandable foam ones you buy in the store. These keep the sound crystal clear while knocking the DBs down 20db. I still notice a little bit of a difference, but it could be part of the dbs. It's not to the extent where I want to change my guitar EQ.
I LOVE them at shows and concerts. If I'm near people, they can yell in my ear at a concert and I can both hear them and not have my ears killed at the same time. I hate it when people next to you have to tell you something, and their voice kills your ear.
One mistake I made when I got fitted was when they fill you ear with impression material. If I could do it over, I would open my mouth bigger than the biggest I can get it. It opens up the ear canal and ensures a tight fit when you slide them in. Sometimes I have nudge mine back in ever so slightly. They do go RIGHT up your ear. Even though I was used to regular foam ones, the first time I put them in, it felt like I was being violated! 
I'm used to them now, and was the best $150 I ever spent on ear health.
+1 on the custom molded! They're worth it but here's my $.02
I've worked in heavy industry for over 25 years, 120+ db, and I've tried every type of hearing protection out there from the cheap disposable foam to custom molded plugs all the way up to the electronic muffs like these...
http://www.precision-sports.com/peltor_elect.htm
The custom molded stuff is great but the one thing to remember is the size of your ear canal can change very slightly throughout the course of the day. Changes in blood pressure, water retention, body temperature and other natural fluctuations can change how they fit. Like a ring or watch gets tighter when you're hot and sweaty. My molded plugs fit great on day shifts but they hurt on night shifts. Day time to night time temperature changes, winter to summer seasonal changes. So I alternate with whatever is comfortable.
I saw a youtube video a while back with Jerry Cantrel from Alice In Chains talking about his rig and how he's switched to a dry stage with iso cabs and in ear monitors. I'm not sure about this, I think I'd loose the feel without the cab behind me 
RP
Guitars: 2002 Gibson R8, 2008 Gibson SG Standard, 1977 Fender Statocaster, 1979 el Degas Les Paul Custom, 2011 Epiphone JB Les Paul
Amps: 1982 Marshall 4010
