Tribe Tattoo and Piercing

Got two of my (current) four tattoos here. Both of them were quoted at a higher price than I was eventually charged. It was the same guy who did all of them as the staff rotate between the two locations. Very happy with the results all times and I did get one of them touched-​up after a bit of ink rubbed-​off. All fixed now.
The shop is smaller than the Broughton Street joint and has a piercing place downstairs (it seems). Staff are friendly but conversation is not practical above the noise of the tattoo needles.

I went to get my nose pierced (my first piercing other than my ears). I was pierced by George, at Tribe 1 in Newington. He had no bedside manner so to speak — when my friend offered to come with for support, he told her no. Then when we got to the piercing room, he told me to sit, asked what side I wanted it on, and then proceeded to pierce my nose without asking if the mark was ok. After he put the needle through he told me I was done, and then proceeded to play around some more, putting the stud in. He scolded me for holding my breath, and was just generally unlike-​able. I had to go to another, BETTER, piercer today to get it removed as well (it was in for 5 days) as the stud he used was «too small for an initial piercing and only good for healed piercings» which resulted in my swollen tissue swallowing the stud so much that it was trying to grow over the stud. Bottom line, unless you’re an experienced piercee who can ensure everything is done correctly and he is using the right stud, etc, find another place.

Had my wrist tattoo done in Tribe 3 in Edinburgh (there are two tribes in Edinburgh, one in Glasgow) and was very happy with it. Once I decided to get my tattoo done I just went in and explained my idea. Erik was very helpful in finding the best way to translate my idea into a good looking tattoo. As it wasn’t very big I could come back the same afternoon to get it done. He also answered all my questions that I had as it was the first time for me to get a tattoo.
The shop itself is clean and comfortable. However, you are getting tattooed in the back room where all artists work in the same room. If you don’t like that it might not be the place for you, or you will have to ask for a specific appointment to be on your own.
To sum it up, I would definitely go back there for another tattoo as I felt in safe hands!

I have been tattooed eight times, the most recently at Tribe.
I chose Tribe and this particular artist on a recommendation from a friend, as the only parlours I was familiar with were back in California.
I had a few sessions with the artist, describing what I wanted and having him send me a way so he could think and draw. Every time I’ve been tattooed in the past I was able to just walk in, work with an artist and get tattooed on the same day, so I was pleased with what seemed like the extra care and attention taken by this artist.
The day came for my tattoo and he explained that the drawing was a bit rough (strange because he had apparently been working on it for weeks) but he completely understood what I wanted (shading, rather than clearly defined lines) and how I wanted the colours to come out. He mixed colours and I selected them based on how they looked on my skin, which he told me was a true representation of how it would look in the tattoo. This was the first time I’d gotten colour so naturally I trusted this would be the case.
I also trusted the roughness of the sketch and that he understood exactly what I wanted, because he showed me an example. I had never had any occasion not to trust the artistic license of a tattoist. That was clearly my mistake. I’d become too trusting with people who were permanently etching images into my skin because they’d all been very talented.
My tattoo did not come out as planned or explained. The colours are not what I was shown and the image is not the shading we discussed. That was the last time I got a tattoo. I’ve been talking about getting it fixed ever since (almost three years) but don’t know exactly how I could fix it so I’m holding off.
I don’t hate it and I don’t really blame the artist, per se. But, I don’t love it, and I love every other tattoo I have. At the end of the day we clearly misunderstood eachother and it was a valuable lesson to learn. It’s just a shame that I had to learn it when I was getting the biggest tattoo I’ve ever gotten.

I’ve technically never been to Tribe to get something pierced (I went to a much dodgier place), but I have been to get lip rings and earrings from Tribe. Sadly, I wasn’t all that impressed. I mean, I’m sure the piercings and tattoos they do are absolutely fine. I just assume that’s how it works at piercing parlous: if they’re still open, they must be doing something right. But when I went there to get my lip ring, first of all, they sold me a ring that was too fat for my piercing. They were also fairly rude. I mean, at least the first time. Other times I’ve been there, they’ve actually been alright with me. But first impressions stick, don’t they? I mean, when you walk in, their immediate reaction is to pretty much stare you down (unless you’ve already enough piercings and tattoos to claim you’re one of them) and tell you to take a seat and wait until it’s your turn. A bit like going to the doctor’s, which isn’t the kind of experience I’d expect from a piercing parlour.

If you’ve ever had a piercing done, you’ll know it can be quite a nerve-​wracking experience. After all, you’re trusting a complete stranger to plunge a needle into your exposed flesh, making a potentially permanent alteration to your body. So far, I’ve remained quite conservative and only had this done to various parts of my ear, but still like to feel I’m in safe hands.
My visit to Tribe was refreshingly stress-​free. The guy who works there is really cool, and has a very laid-​back and straightforward that puts you at ease. He also has some colourful stories — ask him about the time he broke his back. And obviously they’re totally above board when it comes to hygiene and after treatment etc.
I can’t really comment on the tattooing side of the business, but from flicking through their folder they seem to have a range of designs and will also do custom designs for you.

Tucked away near the Edinburgh Uni student campus is Tribe, conveniently located opposite 3 pubs for either some post tattoo celebratory drinks or some dutch courage beforehand. If the latter is the case, don’t have too much as they won’t tattoo you if you are drunk, and also alcohol thins the blood, leading to more bleeding.
So for those that aren’t feeling queasy already, Morag is the star artist here, with her waiting list anywhere up to a year, but the quality of her work is obvious and definitely worth the wait. The other artists are all very talented as well, so if you don’t want to wait a year it’s no problem.
As with most tattoo parlours Tribe does piercings as well, and in my experience are the best in Edinburgh for the more obscure piercings. Particularly good are the microdermals (like piercings that don’t come back out, they hook in) which are a good alternative to surface piercings if you find that the latter keep rejecting your body (as is the case with me, they seem not to like me). At 35 pounds each they are reasonable, especially when you consider that to all extents and purposes they are permanent.
As you’d want with a tattoo parlour it’s clean and professional, and the staff are friendly whether you’re a piercing virgin or your nemeses are metal detectors

I have had a tattoo and two piercings done here. I don’t find the staff to be very friendly here, and act like they’re a little fed up.
When I got part of my ear pierced here, the guy who pierced my ear pushed the needle so hard through my cartilage that he cut into another part of my ear, to top it off the bar he used was a metal that is no longer meant to be used for piercings (as I was told by another company who I went to to get my ear sorted out) and my ear got completely infected and wouldn’t heal and as a result I had to take the piercing out and still have a large scar.
The establishment is clean and tidy, but I personally will not be using this place again as I was not impressed in the slightest!

I’ve had a couple of tattoos done here, both by different people. The shop is clean, the staff are knowledgeable and the work is professional. Rob did my latest work and he was very good. The design is exactly how I wanted it, and he even tidied up one of my older tattoos free of charge. I think as an artist, the bad work done on that one upset him, so he was satisfied to see it fixed — which gave him bonus points in my book. Good advice is given on aftercare and this studio also does piercing.

Got my first tattoo just over a year here and was very pleased with the service I received.
I had designed my own and when I went in the receptionist explained what would be done, roughly how long it would take and general advice on getting and taking care of you’re tattoo.
After that she asked if I wanted to go ahead and made an appointment.
When I arrived at my appointment the tattoist (Rob) took me aside and showed me the few tweaks he had made to make the design more consistant and then we were off.
I loved the whole experiance and even now after a year the tattoo looks fresh.
I am now going to get another one in the next few months and I am certainly going back here.