Tattoo Machines And Their Secrets: October 2012

Let's get right down to it.. there is always mention by you two of a "problem" in this industry… what is that about?

- The problem can be summed up as several problems. It all boils down to lack of education. of ethics, egos and ignorance - the blind leading the blind. There is no balance. There is no standard.

- First of all, we are not talking about the levels of tattooing, it's not that, there is so much great work happening these days, and of course there is lots of bad… we are talking 'behind the scenes' in the industry. Where do we start.. there is a pyramid in this industry that those involved take for granted…the magazines don't see it (their non tattooed representatives are selling tons of advertising), the artists don't see it (most are too busy working and some may see a small part of it due to the products they buy which they are dissatisfied with), suppliers don't see it - (they're to busy trying to 'sell' products to see it), clients don't see it, machine builders don't see it - (they're looking for suppliers to carry their products). Nobody knows where to start - most see it as "this is the way it is, i guess not all machines are gonna run the same, or some pigments are good and some are bad, i need to fix my machine and the supplier is not returning my calls…" others know something's wrong and just can't figure it out, these things i mentioned are minor, there are major ones and all add up to be a global problem.

- The pyramid stacks up as follows: the suppliers, the media (t.v.) and the magazines are at the top and under them are machine builders / parts & ink manufacturers, under them are the direct consumers of these products who are the tattoo artists and at the bottom is the most important piece of the puzzle, the client. The city health departments are in there somewhere… it's not a normal equation because so much has been allowed to grow out of control that it's become unmanageable. There are things that are being swept under the carpet that need to be addressed and for some of these things it's too late. So many levels to address!! Media - the tattoo industry's "new" reputation / image. Suppliers - Middlemen for inferior products and it goes down hill from there. Uneducated buyers of these products...ugh.

What kinds of things? Where does it start…

- The quick evolution of what tattooing is today has had a major effect on every aspect of the industry…This is a business that has evolved from an 'outlaw' lifestyle into a mainstream lifestyle in a very short time. It is now glamorous to be labeled "tattoo artist". Everybody and their brother is tattooed. The media actually got ahold of it and turned tattoo artists into 'rock stars'. Along with this comes ego. Egos so big that image becomes number 1. What happens then?

- Because of such demand and popularity, there are more clients, more 'artists' more suppliers. It is a multi million dollar business. Suppliers sell millions of dollars of products a year. As a result of this rapid growth the amount of wanna be artists (home tattooers), artists in shops (not so professional), professional artists in shops and suppliers has increased. Along with this growth as in anything, self regulation goes out the window. Self education and a responsibility to the reputation of the industry and to the client goes out the window. Ethics are gone - t.v. shows make tattooing look like a career that is accessible to everyone and suppliers who sell to 'anyone' help to perpetuate this belief and make it a reality.

- Now that everyone is making money, everything else is secondary… suppliers selling inferior products. These suppliers believe that if it "sells a lot of units, it must be a good product and the artists buy because they feel the same way". People are dumbstruck when they see shiny glossy machines in ads floating in space with a laser light show behind them… and a 2 page spread at that! This means nothing more than, the advertiser had enough financial security to be able to afford this ad - wether it was an investor or from the profits he made from buying cheap (manufacturing in China and selling high). But artists don't know this, and it gets worse as you go to the lesser developed countries. Look at some of the inks who've had recalls due to bacteria in the grey washes… cutting the pigment with tap water - contaminated tap water at that! Machines built by builders who do not tattoo or who do tattoo and who do not understand technique - selling to suppliers who do not understand either. Do these scenarios seem unethical to you? What about ENTRY LEVEL TATTOO KITS? Ask some of these builders and suppliers to do a small black n grey portrait for you… see if they can! NO understanding of technique = no understanding of what a machine needs to function the way it should for the necessary piece. Artists, NEED to know this stuff, among many other things. Do they know what "shader" means? What qualities does a shader need to shade smoothly… how can I tell from a photo in a catalog or magazine if that machine really is a shader?…

- It seems that everyone wants to get into OUR industry - "our" meaning that it belongs to all of us who have paid dues and have a passion and a drive to elevate standards in this industry. It does NOT belong to whomever we let in, because that's in effect what we do when we order from those who only want to take from US and OUR industry, without giving back. Giving back does not mean opening a high dollar glossy shop and offering jobs and giving these artists a retirement plan or health insurance -a as one supplier told us. That's not enough. It does nothing for the industry as a whole….

- We were contacted by a MAJOR supplier telling us he could get our products into the hands of 5 other MAJOR suppliers globally. He offered a lot of money forecasting huge sales and increased sales year after year stating that "I sold over 5 million dollars worth of tattoo supplies last year alone!" he then said, "You guys have a great product, we believe that a great product is a product that is accessible by everyone!"… we said "A great product is a product which performs the way it has to perform wether or not it is accessible to everyone. And what do you know about our products if you DO NOT TATTOO or have ever compared to any other, by tattooing?" Everyone? he said "everyone"… I'm sure a lot of you out there would agree that NOT everyone, especially those who are not skilled in the trade deserve to own a machine. We have worked hard to earn our reputation and pay for 4 patents to protect our inventions… NO WAY THAT WE WILL SELL TO ANYONE WHO HAS THIS TYPE OF ETHICS.

Exclusive - Verified professionals only

OK, so what are you saying? What is the bottom line? How does an artist or client benefit from this knowledge?

- You said it right there.. "knowledge".. education. If you are an auto mechanic, you can diagnose problems with any car before you purchase - you then would have choices "shall i buy and invest my time and money into modifications?" "i don't want it because the following is wrong with it…" and you would know that BRAND does not always equal quality. If you can build hot rods, you would know what you would need to do in order to make that car, no matter what make or model, into a real winner. People who are ignorant buy for brand… an educated buyer never has to worry about a thing because he knows what to look for before he purchases, and if he does decide to purchase, he knows what improvements will need to be done to the product IF HE CHOSE TO UNDERTAKE THE WORK NECESSARY TO UPGRADE HIS PURCHASE and to make it function the way it needs to.

- If you are a buyer and choose not to or do not have the time to learn every aspect of the product THAT you are going to buy, you are putting yourself in the hands of the salesperson, in the hands of a person who may or may not know a thing about that product. Artists put their trust in suppliers everyday. These suppliers put their trust in manufacturers. These manufacturers may or may not be familiar with important aspects of the tools they manufacture. Consistent needle tapers on each pin in each grouping, grey washes that are made with sterile / distilled water, machines that are incrementally sensitive and can deliver consistent movement for the necessary technique (among many other requirements). Education in this sense is necessary. Do you artists really believe that suppliers know more than you do? Or some of these big name builders who claim to be metallurgic geniuses and claim to build the best machines yet do TATTOOS THAT LOOK LIKE A CHILD'S DRAWING?

- Everyone benefits. The industry benefits. The tattoo clients benefit from putting skin in the hands of an "educated" artist. The skin will not be abused, the artist will know his limits and not handle anything outside of his ability...

- It's easy to lead the ignorant. Just like master debaters say "it's not wether your information is factual, the important part of your argument is to be convincing to the public that you are RIGHT!"

- Nobody wants to learn anything they need to know. They do not want to admit what they could stand to learn about - preventing cross contamination, new bacterias appearing in tap water which is also appearing in some grey washes sold on the market, about their machines; this could be the difference between scarring a client and perfect healing, the difference between brutalizing someone for 3 hours on a job that should have taken 1 hour, about the needles they use; taper length? are the all the same type of needle in that grouping? Education is key. This ignorance opens doors for suppliers who are just as ignorant to be able to thrive! It enables Chinese companies to be able to sell their low priced machines and cheapen our industry. This is not to say that their machines cannot be improved with simple modifications - they are not the ones to blame…

- Just because somebody calls themselves "tattoo supplier" does not mean that they are any smarter than the artist, or the builder of that substandard machine. Ask any of them the benefit of having a capacitor with a value of 47uf 35v… ask them the benefit of a long tapered pin over a medium tapered pin.. or the difference in magnetic field from an 8 layer coil to a 12 layer coil with a 3/8" core.

- IS THERE CREDIBILITY IN THIS TYPE OF BUSINESS? CAN YOU REALLY GET THE HELP YOU NEED, AS AN ARTIST, WHEN YOU HAVE IMPORTANT QUESTIONS? HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE SWITCHED TO ROTARY MACHINES BECAUSE YOU COULD NOT UNDERSTAND, AFTER BUYING BRAND AFTER BRAND OF ELECTROMAGNETIC MACHINES, WHY YOU FEEL LET DOWN? WHY HAS THE MACHINE FAILED YOU?

- Know what happens when a client buys a machine from a supplier and is dissatisfied with it? He uses it, sends it back to the supplier. The supplier takes it out of the box without gloves on and looks it over - not knowing what to look for. He sends another one to the artist and re-sells the used one! Without knowing or caring that that artist may not have put a baggie on the machine while working and was handling it with bloody gloves! That is common, that is one instance… a major instance in which education and ethics could have prevented a potential problem.

Scrappy Uno model (Banana 2 - Godoy Machines)
(Pat. Pending)

What kind of pyramid is this? isn't the artist at the top?

- No, the artist is in the mix, somewhere…definitely not on top. This pyramid is basically Who is making money in this industry, or should I say TAKING money from this industry, with the least investment - we're talking about giving back. There is no passionate investment in it for the suppliers, nor for the magazines. Since when do either one of them care about the quality of the tattoos or service the artist gives to his client? This is big business. Suppliers sell millions of dollars worth of products a year - the machine is a product that they know nothing about. They are just middlemen… Sellers. Most have NOT done the time in this industry at the capacity of an experienced tattoo artist to understand what really goes on in our world - what is needed in a well tuned machine. Or that the pigments they sell are bootlegged in China - mis labeled… All most of them know is that sales are good. How many of these sales people are tattooed? who knows? Magazine editors or staff? how many of these t.v. show producers are tattooed? Do they care how they portray artists? Do they care about how inaccurately they portray the hard work and commitment we need to excel in this art form.

ON THE COVER WITH NO BAG ON MACHINE OR CORD...

ON THE COVER WITH NO BAG ON CORD OR MACHINE.

- Their main focus is the sale of products. FACT. They wash their hands of any responsibility when it comes to: reactions to inks, defective needles (groupings of mismatched needles), machines which are haphazardly tuned and assembled by people who are equally as ignorant as these suppliers are when it comes to function… they also sell necessities - gloves, surgical soaps and disinfectants, sterilizers… these things are staples and necessary. The media people try and portray the "tattoo lifestyle" which is…? We do not dress up like vampires, we do not paint ourselves up like a ghouls and take pics in the graveyard - as portrayed in these glossy magazines like bound by ink, ink rebel or whatever the magazines are called… We are not particularly interested in hotrods or betty paige bangs - it's not us. Some tattoo artist readers may be, and that's totally cool, and they know that realistically working on a hot rod has nothing to do with tattooing… And when we buy t-shirts, we prefer to buy shirts with our favourite bands on them rather than the "tattoo lifestyle" t-shirts that are advertised with "tattoo lifestyle slogans" like: "TATTOOED WHITE TRASH", or "FUCK YEAH IT HURTS!" or maybe "BITCH"… We tattoo 6 days a week. As artists, our lifestyle is pleasing clients, translating their ideas, with our skills onto their skin… it's passion, it's dedication. To learn about the use, the function of my tools. We have 4 patents on major improvements in the electromagnetic tattoo machine, we wrote a book on the subject to EDUCATE the tattoo populace so they can realize that it is imperative that they understand the main tool of our trade, to clean up the industry and to protect themselves from hype. This is tattoo lifestyle… or it should be. It needs to be.

- It's easy to look at what's going on and to ask yourselves, "how am I contributing to the betterment of the industry?, what can I do to improve the industry?"…

Interesting… this is a problem, is it that the artists don't see it? or is it that there is so much hype that nobody notices it?

- OK, everyone in this business has a responsibility. The main responsibility of all involved is to the client who is receiving a tattoo. To make sure the client gets the best treatment he can possibly receive! To receive a service that is complete with: sterility, artistic ability, an accommodating attitude from the artist, comfortable environment, safe pigments… The artist is the middleman between the supplier and the client. The product manufacturer sells to the supplier who sells to the artist who sells the final product to the client. - the tattoo. The client is the one who keeps everyone in business. It is his demand that keeps the need for artists current and the need for supplies current. The media latches on, they redefine the "lifestyle" with a cast of drama queens, the magazines organize photo shoots of pinups in ridiculous outfits - top hats garters & corsets and put em in spooky backgrounds and say this is the "tattoo lifestyle". People buy these magazines, people advertise in these magazines… nobody stops to think, "what am i supporting? what is this doing for me? what is this doing to better the industry? what is this doing to set a standard?" There are tons of products being advertised and sold in every magazine. None of these outlets promote education. To understand what really goes on when the needle goes into the skin… what are the tapers like on those pins? - once again, forgetting about the client. How would anyone notice the problem when there are so many new products, t.v. shows, magazines, conventions… events… movies… commercials with the main focus on how trendy tattooing is.

- It trickles down into every artery and vein that keeps this mysteriously misguided industry alive by the seat of it's pants. The entertaining conventions which place educational seminars second to the "hotrod show", or places high dollar big name suppliers right in the front at the convention and people like us who have proven factual and helpful information and a perfectly clean reputation and honourable and honest trajectory to improve the standard of the industry - in the corner of a room, outside the main hall where the convention is taking place…sharing the space with vendors of pipes, biker vests and leather products (Tony and Durb). Money talks I guess. Our offer to do a seminar in this high profile event was rejected.

- The people with the power to effect changes do not because they do not see any problem. What problem is there when they're making money? Magazines with huge circulations could be helping to promote education, or alerting the general population to problems, they could help by alerting artists to medical issues and by printing solutions to this epidemic. They could help by supporting workshops for artists at conventions… artists are so egotistical that they do not wanna admit that they do not know something. They do not want to be looked at as ignorant. This insecurity results in an injustice to the client who just wants a tattoo. There are amateurs are taking on jobs they cannot handle, they are transmitting unknowingly, bacteria or disease agents due to not bagging their machines during the act of tattooing and therefore indirectly misrepresenting an industry full of those of us who do understand prevention of cross contamination and comply with the most modern health standards or machine function… flip though these 'industry' mags, count how many artists in the pictures are working without bags on their machines or or on their clip cords.

- Some of these artists are intentionally uneducated people hiding behind the "old school" excuse - by saying that they keep secrets just as the 'old timers' did. These made up "secrets" that these old timers had is a myth for the most part in comparison to the knowledge which is available today and do not hold water in this advanced society - for example - making springs out of hack saw blades… or adding gin to their pigments. They themselves had the same ethics as these suppliers of today who sell to just anybody. Look at old Bill Jones flyers selling "your new career as a tattoo artist, make a lot of money…" find the flyers, tattoo archive has em.. you'll see. Percy Waters… all those guys. What ethics? They sell just like most suppliers do today - to anyone. AND, realistically, is there room for 'entry level' equipment? really… it's just like going to a surgeon with entry level scalpels… and entry level anaesthesia! Tattoo kits!!!

Who would you say is to blame for this change in the industry? A lot of people blame the Chinese …

- Change from what? It's always been this way, just not as severe. The blame is mis directed. The blame lies squarely on the consumers of these products. Artists forget that they are the ones buying the products and as such, can determine who stays and who goes in OUR industry. If they don't buy they can't supply.

- Let's break it down… for most manufacturers, wether it's cars or watches, the most important issue is sales. For the people who sell these articles, it's the same goal. They sell these products having confidence that the products are good and ready for consumption. For machine builders, for ink manufacturers, for needle n tube makers… all of them want suppliers. They want a supplier who will sell their products and reach the maximum number of buyers - with no regard as to the quality of the product, and often times, who they sell to. In an industry based on superstition and myth, along with the sale of entry level tattoo kits and low end chinese machines…. who can anyone trust? There is no effective maintenance warranty for when a client needs help diagnosing and fixing these machines.

WHAT IS YOUR PROPOSED SOLUTION? WHAT IS THE ANSWER… HOW DID THIS BECOME MORE THAN JUST A BUSINESS FOR YOU…

- We can start by getting rid of the egos. We're all in the same boat. We have a choice, we could jump in and swim in a sea of mediocrity and ignorance or we could all educate ourselves, eliminate all the superstition and myth that has contaminated our industry and allowed so much sewage to slip thought the cracks… Some machine builders think our present goal is to compete with a "who's machines are better our machines or their machines" and that we're concerned about convincing the artists who knows more and who knows less. That's not our concern. It has become a philosophy a real manifesto to go out and educate the best that we can without promoting our products, because people do have choices and the decisions they make should be from an educated perspective.

- Our perspective comes from one of experience on all sides - we were/are tattoo clients, we are tattoo artists since 1985, we are manufacturers, we are inventors, we are suppliers to some degree - as we only sell our own products, we are authors and educators. We have seen and have been a part of each view. NOT just in North America but globally and it IS an epidemic. It is spread equally among every country and it's tattooing population, suppliers selling bootlegged products - contaminated ink, Chinese products, no service, can't give advice, cannot diagnose a problem, re selling used machines, .. this lucrative business it has turned the everyday guy into "tattoo supplier"… the tattoo world in general is run by myth and not by any real scientific basis. There is no accountability from the top to the bottom - in general. There are some suppliers who are tops - 2 Evolve in Cape Town, South Africa are the best. They set an example for what a supplier should be doing FOR the industry. To give back in the form of making education accessible to artists, especially in South Africa where poverty and accessibility is a real issue, there are seminars available on machines, technique - realism, classes on needles - tapers, material, he supplies information on any recent health concerns (health regulation is an international necessity), he discriminates on who he sells to - the requirements to be a client are high! This encourages shops to raise their standards in everything from the quality of the artwork, to the understanding of the physics of the machinery and tools right down to pathogens training and shop cleanliness.

2E machine - built for 2Evolve by Godoy Machines

- Artists need to educate themselves. As artists, we are the ones who really are in control of the industry… of who stays and who goes, who is a fraud and who is not, of what guidelines we need in suppliers… we should be regulating ourselves, and should have done so all along. Not just as a service to the client if not to be able to look at one's self in the mirror and KNOW that we are the best we can be. This type of attitude shows in everything we do. Wether you work at Starbucks and make watered down half assed drinks or wether you are a mechanic!!!

It sounds like its a sort of "free for all" type of industry! is it really that bad? Really?

- It really is. They types of things that are gotten away with in this industry, would not float in any pseudo medical industry - I say pseudo medical because we are piercing the skin - the largest organ in our bodies, it could be considered minor surgery! no room for amateurs or entry level kits! It's not acknowledged because it's still sort of a mystery to much of the population, there is still an outlaw nature to it and there is no reason for it, it is mainstream now. Health guidelines should be available to all. This has evolved into an art of precision. It should not be the continuation of the primitive machine pounding inconsistent needle clusters into the abused skin of a client, this is raw and unrefined. In old times, these guys never thought this machine could be made any better than it was. The prediction of artists doing the incredible work they do now was probably not a realistic thought then. The refinement of this tool makes masterpieces possible. The acceptance of remedial art in todays tattoo society allows for the acceptance of ignorance and self imposed limits and pigeon holing because the time it takes to learn to use a single needle or a tight grouping of needles is an inconvenience to many of these artists with intermediate skill sets.

SOLUTIONS???

If every artist got involved with the collective goal in mind to clean up the industry, to set examples for others to follow, to eliminate frauds, to destroy superstition and myth, to raise their glasses to a new and innovative generation instead of toasting and hiding behind obsolete conviction… any and all industry leeches would be gone, any negative stereotype of the industry would be gone, and if we could maintain and set health standards which we ALL need and deserve… the acceptability would be merited and any negative stereotype would be gone.

- If we cant trust organizations, we must trust ourselves. We offered the APT. a seminar - for vegas and a portion of the money we could have generated through attendance fees we were willing to donate into their "cause" in order to promote machine education.. instead they gave the class to a substandard teacher who provided an insignificant and ineffective course, instead of providing a complete theory, physics/scientific, hands on based lesson, they refused our proposition...so there was no advancing or bar raising that day!!!

WARNING: Do not sign up w the apt… mediocrity is their middle name. If u cant trust these people who can you trust?- Easy answer: TRUST YOURSELF.

Readers wanna know...these tv shows… LA ink NY ink.. and so on….whats up with them??

Well we were called upon 4 different times to audition for these shows...they were phazing out Kat cuz "she was too hard to work with"...ha...and wanted us, they had heard of us...twins with achievements, we have appeared on tv already a bunch of times for tattooing exclusively all the work on Julia Gnuse, 'Guiness Book of World Records' most tattooed woman etc... The live video questions were semi standard , our answers to the questions were NOT!!! I remember telling the interviewer-"Before we even start with this, our main goal is to clean up the mess you people have made of the tattoo industry." HA...it was not meant to be anything but a verbal/on-camera agreement...like saying-"we will be a part of the show only after we start cleaning up YOUR MESS through the avenue of global media"...simple fact! We invite change and controversy...things do change, they have to in order to keep things GROWING, ADVANCING...moving forward...new blood...new styles and options...nothing evolves without change...YET WE NEED TO REMEMBER that we will always be in a growing battle against ignorance and at some point a decision has to be made by all legitimate tattoo artists to be a part of the solution and not a part of the problem. People can talk all their shit about the industry and Kat and all the TV bullshit...but in the real world if you are not doing your part to keep tattooing legitimate...then you are another added problem for real artists to contend with. One bad apple can ruin the bunch. It's easy to say, "let's all comply, let's all raise our standards, lets rule and regulate ourselves."....Its not going to happen all at once and definitely not with the help of loser, do-nothing organizations like the APT. It starts with us as individuals.

Choice - you could swim in a sea of mediocrity or you could be above all that, knowing that you are doing your part to make things better.

So I heard you mention something about going back to basics...can you explain?

- When we say that as individuals from time to time we NEED to "get back to basics" we mean to do a complete reassessment of criteria utilized in all aspects of a working tattoo shop, could be any or all of the following topics: professionalism and etiquette, tattoo application, after care, client relations, machine function, cross contamination prevention, sterilizer room set up, hazard free tattoo station set up...etc.

Every topic mentioned should be standardized...set as our own requirements of self regulation...and should be a part of any tattoo artists daily routine upon entering the shop to tattoo.

So how does all this pertain to Godoy Machines?

- Well..as tattoo artists of nearly 28 years, the procedures come naturally to us for the most part... what none of us ever bargain for is the health departments constant involvement in the tattoo industry, passing new regulations...implementing new laws and procedures to for us to adhere to...which, although they are giving us new hoops to jump through, by complying we are setting ourselves apart from NON PROFESSIONAL home tattooers and non compliant shops. Non compliant shops have been getting shut down in the state of California.

- Compliance, now that's a word....generally meaning "do it or else"...not a bad word though... you could be a cult leader, a military general, the world health organization or just a cop...compliance is all around us...something we must do, either against our will or voluntarily.

Imagine everyone being on the same page in matters of machine knowledge…if these artists could diagnose and troubleshoot any machine, pick apart a machine manufacturers product at a convention, tell distributors what the junk they sell is lacking and why they are all incompetent and have NO REASON TO BE SELLING THINGS THEY KNOW NOTHING ABOUT...why should we trust them now???....that's where the industry should be headed...stepping forward to being independent thinkers and doers..,not relying on suppliers for machines which are disappointments, bad advice, poor customer service, insufficient knowledge to troubleshoot your machine issues...we would be taking the industry back...with pride...doing the right thing and bringing a real sense of credibility to tattooing, standardizing ethics and re-establishing codes and a unity not ever seen in this "once outlaw now mainstream" big business...the problem still lies with all of us as individuals to fix. We fix ourselves, help others fix themselves and it should spread, we separate ourselves as true professionals...knowing our machines is the BEST thing we can do for ourselves and our clients!!!

- Compliance in health issues should be mandatory without exception.

- So be that all as it may, lets apply those codes of ethics to machine function as it pertains to tattoo application.

Wether consciously realized or not, every artist has only one choice in order to apply a tattoo:

You must know technique AS IT APPLIES TO MACHINE FUNCTION.

- Machine function is the most important piece of the puzzle in tattoo application...as it will make or break the tattoo's outcome, the clients ability to tolerate the pain and either boost or stamp out your self confidence at any experience level.

back by Art

We tattoo in every style, we understand technique as it relates to the machines function...

3 Tattoos by Steve

Godoy Machines have patents which were derived out of tattooing EXPERIENCE and knowledge of magnetic fields, materials used, how to manipulate current to add force to the magnet, spring gauge and material to better performance as it relates to magnetic pull...these are very important points which should be addressed by anyone who tattoos...you don not have to become a machine builder by any means...you can educate yourself in performance basics of leave it in the hands of crackpot builders and ignorant babbling distributors who in all reality could care less about what they sell you or how to answer even the most basic questions or doubts you may have regarding your purchase.

So...before you set up your machine to apply a tattoo, ask yourself:

- What do you know about your machine? do you know how the gauge/layers of wire on your coils affects the saturation of the coils core and are the cores an alloy or are they a true ferro magnetic material, are your springs a low grade carbon steel that has been treated with heat, are they a low grade strapping steel?...how bout O-rings,...do you have one on the machine, whats it's thickness and how does the thickness affect your machine's performance? what about troubleshooting...???? you have to jump start the machine...what could it be? there's a blue/green spark between the contact screw and the front spring...what does that mean? the machine does not run smooth, it it inconsistent...yet you haven't changed anything on it! ...are you getting full performance out of your machine's coils...and how would ya know? is the capacitors tolerance inadequate?...if you cannot answer these questions and you are a tattoo artist...how in the fuck do you expect a DISTRIBUTOR TO KNOW THESE ANSWERS??? these are just a few examples of necessary knowledge...now..how does this pertain to tattoo application?...are you one of the artists in the shop whose machines sound like they're rattling to pieces? like a jack-hammer...so unrefined...how bout at a convention??? where you are showcasing talent as well as performance in tattoo application...how would you feel using a machine that does not define performance or finesse...that makes a client hurt and because you are not educated enough in machine function you hide behind the guise "old school" or "traditional" in your understanding of machine performance....you are probably not putting bags on your machines either which shows lack of care for the client aswell as your stance on cross contamination prevention....by turning the main tool of your trade into a pathogen spreading vehicle..this field is one where opposite opinions do NOT count ,as facts cannot be disputed.

Being a part of the solution even at the smallest level is better than being a part of the problem at the lowest level...you have to cross that bridge into true professionalism sometime.

- When we speak of machines we always refer to an electromagnetic machine...we do not use or sell rotaries. All machines require maintenance and maintenance is done by having knowledge to diagnose problems in order to better the apparatus...it doesn't matter what brand or where you got it, wether it has or hasn't got all the ingredients to make it operational...knowledge and hands on experience will solve it for you!!!

- Education on machines is essential...our book is designed to be a machine seminar all compiled into a 140 page document...all thats left is hands on application...to have the balls to take your machine apart and replace parts needed to upgrade its performance.

- Solutions to this epidemic are self explanatory and laid out in front of each and every one of us. Guidelines, machine education, shop rules and etiquette, logic, physics, health standards and their new demands, clients needs and professionalism all OUTWEIGH hype, ego, old school thinking, misrepresentation of the tattoo lifestyle, and general ignorance in all matters pertaining to safe tattoo application.

- There are so many issues and only one way to attack it...be a part of the solution!!!...think this interview through. Are you where you want to be? are you where you need to be?...do you address these important issues? if not yet, when do you plan on it?...what would it feel like to be part of the solution and see productivity and motivation in your shop, client growth, a stellar reputation and above all-self satisfaction? It would feel pretty fucking great wouldn't it!!! Machine knowledge is king and obviously it is an indisputable necessity .

WHAT IS YOUR BACK GROUND… HOW DID THIS "GODOY-ISM" EVOLVE?

- We started tattooing a year before the start of our professional skateboarding career. We were never apprenticed, which was something we had hoped for. We started in a generation primarily dominated by the 'biker tattooer', we were influenced into the tattoo direction with the advent of Oi! Seeing the Cockney Rejects on the cover of their "Power and the Glory" album spelled it out for us. We were skateboarders since 1977 in the height of the punk movement… we were into the music and into outlaw and individual lifestyles - skateboarding and punk rock, which were on par with the outlaw biker as far as shock value and being on the outside of society's rules. We pursued all 3 lifestyles our whole lives. Tattooing came in 1983 with home made tattoos and professional equipment in 1985/86… we had already been tattooed heavily by then and were using 'professional' machines. Once our skateboarding careers were over, we had a skill to fall back on. Now.. what started as a rebellious attitude and motivation little by little became dominated with wanting to know all the how's and why's of the tattoo trade. We found that lots of the questions we had could not be answered by the most experienced veterans in a way that made any sense. Upon re examination, we found that this superstitious and mythological information had been a guessing game that had been passed down to them from their teachers or from their limited mechanical, scientific and artistic experience. We had no choice but to go deeper.

- Things didn't make sense… nobody could tell us why certain spring gauges worked where others wouldn't, what the difference between coils' "wraps" was… anything about capacitors or needle tapers… it was accepted that "it's just the way it is". Much like today… the need to educate ourselves went on for years and when you are forced to learn on your own, there can be tons of frustration. Learning on your own can be the best thing in many ways, because you remember and retain every step you take. Now, we had no idea what was being created and what the future held. We kept on our direction, mostly for ourselves, to learn and progress positively. We watched the industry change… and in such a big way!! We had no idea that soon the 'biker' or 'old school' mentality and artwork was to be replaced by talented youngsters. New age ideas… high detailed realism. IT was the evolution of the art.. .in earlier times, there were hints of it in single needle work by Greg Irons… and then the chicano stylings of black and grey realism by Jack Rudy and Mark Mahoney. These youngsters were skateboarders! And into punk… now look at the skate industry! They are all tattooed, and vice versa. We are accredited with crossing the 2 lifestyles. In our days as professional skateboarders, we were hands down the most tattooed skaters… we were also the only ones tattooing with the exception of Fred Smith who stopped during his skate career and started again later. We never stopped. For us it was our tattooing that kept us alive when royalty checks for our model board sales were low… Tattooing saved us.

Art tattooing Julia Gnuse - 1996

- We never expected to be fortunate enough to have tattooed exclusively Julia Gnuse, the Guiness Book of World Records' most tattooed woman. We were on Guiness Prime Time, You Asked for it, Mike and Matty show, Pro Sieben Germany, Australia…. Fuera de Serie shown in all Spanish speaking countries… we were in the National Examiner, the Enquirer, countless tattoo magazines… newspapers…

- As our evolution and understanding resulted in advancements - coil technologies, and tube vice systems. Other experimental and highly functional inventions started to manifest themselves… and still do. We started asking why isn't everyone else caring about this stuff? Why are suppliers and artists still calling wire layers on coils "wraps"? why aren't there any people taking machines to new levels? for us the electromagnetic machine is the best, most versatile machine we could use. Nobody had answers STILL on diagnosing malfunctions or defects in these products. We started to notice flaws in the infrastructure of the industry and as the popularity of the art grew, so did the numbers of artist, suppliers, builders… and when there is money in it, investors come in and others who see potential to make money from this business - without an actual prerequisite to know and understand the products they are selling, their actual use and any risks involved! They come in to a business where accountability is not an issue. When you sell a product you don't know about to clients who also don't know about these products and are dissatisfied, any made up reason for it's malfunction with no basis in science or physics can be used. A simple "i will exchange it at no cost" is good enough for both parties. We used to be convinced that there were ethics in this industry and to a point there were as far as shop conduct.. that soon went out the window. As far as suppliers go, there are no ethics or standards for many of them. The attitude that "the customer is always right" is wrong. The customer is NOT always right. How can an artist who doesn't know or understand his tools, have any say that over powers a supplier who ALSO does not understand these tools? See what we're saying? Artists are so frustrated with non functional products. They see buying machines as taking chances on products, because "this one has to be better than the last one I used.." a machine purchase should NOT be game of chance. The trend toward the rotary is exactly that - this is based on frustration because most artists DO NOT want to be bothered to learn anything, they put their confidence in suppliers who also don't know anything, thinking 'oh, it will work itself out". The rotary is old technology… THERE ARE MORE PRODUCTS BEING OFFERED ON THE MARKET… THIS DOES NOT REFLECT ADVANCEMENT. More products is exactly that, a bigger variety of the same. It just shows that there is more SHIT to comb through to 'find' something adequate… UNLESS you know how to buy a tattoo machine and know how to diagnose it's problems and know what to do to modify and improve it.

- With all the complaints that we had, and that other artists had, what was our solution? We wrote Tattoo Machines and their Secrets in 2004 and first published in 2005…

Second Edition

the most ILLEGALLY downloaded book in this business, with over 990,000 illegal downloads tormented globally in 2008! and that was just the English version. Now, artists who felt that this was letting the cat out of the bag… were wrong. The ones who criticized it from that point of view who were talking shit about the publication on forums were missing the point completely. The information provided in this book was meant to educate the industry. IT WAS NOT INTENDED TO MAKE MORE MACHINE BUILDERS and create competition with these builders who are so worried that their market will be saturated… China alone has saturated the industry way more than the proliferation of new machine builders! Don't get us wrong, to understand function is to understand function wether the machine is built with round coils or our patented square or support coil assemblies… a machine should run at a certain standard and possess an intentional function such as incremental sensitivity between 0 and 2 on the power supplies' dial for a standard round coil… We were professional skateboarders, our world WAS competition. Competition motivates originality, creativity and innovation. From that perspective, rather than fear of it, people come up with ground breaking inventions, techniques and ideas… NOT every tattoo artist cares about becoming a builder. There is a bigger percentage of tattoo artists who would rather just buy a machine and tattoo their masterpieces… The information in this book was meant to help raise a standard among artists, to make great artists greater, to help artists of all skill levels to understand their tools so that these benefits could effect positive change in every facet of these industry and in the end, benefit all of us right down to the client who receives the tattoo, so that professionalism and education could go hand in hand. This knowledge will force out those who sell supplies which are not functional. It will set a demand for functionality based on the INFORMED NEEDS OF THE EDUCATED ARTIST.

HOW CAN ANYONE DISPUTE THAT?

- Complain all you want about Chinese machines and products, complain all you want about the "brand name" machines you use that disappoint you and fail to perform… guess what? you are not alone, there are millions of others like you.. all who complain and DO NOT TAKE STEPS TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE. This is what we are after. To get everyone on the same page, to encourage learning and in effect clean up this industry, to turn your back on this opportunity is to say that you don't care to support positive change in an industry that still wants to live in tall tales, superstition and myth. It's time to give respect to those who really deserve it… and not because of hype or from the era they came from. To give yourself some self respect for being part of a global solution WHICH IS: is to raise the standard in the industry so that THE WHOLE WORLD CAN SEE THAT wether we choose to dress like ghouls and take pics in graveyards, or are eccentric and collect taxidermied animals…. or human skulls… maybe we 'crazy' for the way we look.. to show that our interests DO lie in professionalism, health and hygiene standards, machine function, ethics and a genuine concern for our industry's reputation, for our own reputations and for the health of the clients we tattoo.

WOW. that definitely is serious solution. Makes total sense..how many artists do you think are grasping that idea?

- We have taken this all over the world. It has become an epidemic. We have been all over the U.S. and Canada, Europe, South Africa, all of Mexico right down to the tip of South America. Our Spanish translation also was illegally downloaded as many or more times than the English… the positive point about being 'ripped' off at $130 dollars a book multiplied by over 900,000 illegal ebook downloads in each language shows that there was a real demand for the knowledge. We have been called, invited and have been to and done seminars in countries most of you will never visit. Guam, Guyana, Paraguay, Urugay, Bolivia… Singapore and more. It's sad to say that in the USA, the biggest attendance at one of our seminars was 7 people, Canada - 6 people, Italy 140 people, Germany - 80 or so… Mexico gets packed, South Africa as well… it's catching on slowly. I don't know how long we can keep up this crusade. Ignorance is rampant. Superstition and myth too… artists know there is a problem they just don't know what it is because they are too busy grooming their egos, suffering with and then returning second rate equipment… wallowing in their new high profile status and glory as " tattoo artist".. for some it's a simple as "where do I find out how to fix the problem?"….

Italy seminar - 2007

- Steps can be taken. Fear and ego limit progress. WE are current. Our history and credentials speak for themselves. We understand technique, function, innovation… protection of intellectual property. We have married 2 totally unlikely lifestyles, it's all around. Just watch "Skinned Alive" a film by Bart Saric and then ask yourself "would Aaron Cain, and countless others be tattooing if it wasn't for the Godoys?" We inspire, we motivate… all of you could too. It starts with you.. find the problem and fix it, show the results and others will follow.

Skinned Alive - by Bart Saric

Intellectual property? Please explain what you mean…

- Our ideas and inventions are patented. That means we have protected our inventions and control the rights to our inventions. The patent process is not an easy process. It is very costly. Our square coil patent took almost 6 years to be approved! We have 3 others and a 4th in the works. Intellectual property can extend into Copyright protection for books and publications.. music and so on. Our book was illegally downloaded, this is a copyright violation. This industry is the same way. We didn't think it would happen… we falsely gave credit to the tattoo industry that people would respect each other's works, including ours and NOT be a part of this illegal download trend which happened.… we were wrong. The information in the book did not just grow on some tree or magically appear… it was years of hard work and intense experimentation. Just the same as our 'fameless' v3 machine. We own the patent. It is unlike any other frameless machine out there. There is no copying here… it's a matter of respect and professionalism. Copyright violation is serious. We designed a power supply, small and shaped like a UFO, 6 months after it was released, we found bootlegged copies at a convention in Bogota, Colombia!!! Made in China… the sign on the supplier's counter read: "POWER SUPPLY, JUST LIKE THE GODOY POWER SUPPLY". Funny thing was, it's guts were NOT the same as ours and though the casings were pretty identical and the guts were different, and the fact that they were being sold to anybody for 25 dollars as opposed to our 250 dollar price tag, shows the mentality of the industry… using our name to sell bootlegged and inferior stuff. And artists who truly do now know, buy for price and brand. Putting their faith in someone who does not know. Intellectual property is to be respected. It is the right of the copyright or patent holder to do what he wants with the product. To license it to another company, to sell the rights all together or to just keep it for himself for his own satisfaction. We do not license our ideas, we will not sell our ideas. We don't sell our coils separately as we do not want the association with any other product. We believe in earning your merit and your reputation. This includes suppliers. We have a list of criteria which has to be met by any supplier who wants to carry our products. Most do not agree with pricing, too bad. Patents are not free, our name and reputation comes from decades of hard work and knowledge. We sell a product which is guaranteed with a lifetime warranty. We sell education, innovation, function and direction. Find another company who does… good luck.

Some have criticized you guys by saying that you're self righteous.. and highly critical..

- We are not being self righteous, we never have been. We are simply stating that all artists have choices… choices should be made from an educated perspective - choosing a product, choosing the correct procedure for set up and tear down to protect themselves and their clients. That builders and suppliers should educate themselves as well. That the innocent client should not have to 'watch out' for non compliant shops as these will be a thing of the past. It's a high earning business, that demands higher learning. We believe that competition is positive, we believe that health safety, originality and innovation should take precedence. Patent infringement and bootlegging should be prosecuted. We believe that credit should be given to those who deserve it. We believe that those who do not take steps to be part of this solution are part of the problem. We believe that education is the only way to move forward and set standards, to turn your back on this offer is to keep yourself in the stone age and ineffectively represent the rest of the industry who is health compliant and moving toward technical competence.

- We sponsor 20 award winning artists globally... Most are from countries that do not have the opportunities and luxuries offered in North America and yet they have a greater respect for the art and show a real need for knowledge and improvement. We are critical, yes, because we see that change is needed! Self righteous? if wanting to make positive changes in this unregulated mess of an industry is self righteous, then i guess... the shoe fits.

JUST A FEW OF OUR ARTISTS.......

JUAN 'SUPERFLY' ARREGUIN AXEL LOPEZ

Leon Mexico Caracas Venezuela