I had wanted a tattoo for years, and finally came to Black 13 to get it done- I am so glad I did! Ian White did mine, and I couldn't recommend him enough. These guys are true artists! Pros: ... More

I had wanted a tattoo for years, and finally came to Black 13 to get it done- I am so glad I did! Ian White did mine, and I couldn't recommend him enough. These guys are true artists! Pros: Beautiful work, great environment, clean, and professional Cons: none!
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I was happy to finally find a tattoo shop with exceptionally good artists. They confirm appointments!!!!!!! I have no complaints with Black 13 and I have been the victim of several bad tattoo... More

I was happy to finally find a tattoo shop with exceptionally good artists. They confirm appointments!!!!!!! I have no complaints with Black 13 and I have been the victim of several bad tattoo artists. As long as Black 13 is open I will use their artists. Please visit for yourself. Pros: Extrimely professional Cons: They are to far from Monteagle
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Josh & I met in Atlanta about 3 or 4 years ago when he started on a full sleeve of mine. He had just moved here from Buffalo a few weeks prior & while he was tattooing me we started talking about... More

Josh & I met in Atlanta about 3 or 4 years ago when he started on a full sleeve of mine. He had just moved here from Buffalo a few weeks prior & while he was tattooing me we started talking about where he lived & things to do in ATL. We discovered that he lived around the corner from me & we hit it off & became great friends. Aside from being an awesome guy, he is clearly an amazing artist & great vision. He is never scared to push the boundaries of his art & always willing to step outside of his element & try something new. The guy is not "heavy handed" at all & can fly through a piece in no time flat. But don't let that scare you & think he'll rush through something & mess it up... OH NO, he's just that good. I met Doy through Josh & friend/tattoo artist Sean Herman & immediately like the guy from day one. Doy is a super talented musician & a great business man with the same drive & vision as Josh. It's no wonder they are in business together. At Black 13, the first thing you'll notice is that this is unlike ANY other tattoo shop you've ever been in. It breaks any preconceived notions your mom has about places like this. There is art on the walls from Josh & all the other artists there plus, some of Josh & the other artists friends & inspirations. It honestly looks & feels like a cross between an art gallery & a hair salon. The other artists at the shop are just as talented & driven as the men that run the place. Steve Martin is a life long Tennessee native but his skills are bigger & strecth far beyond the boundaries of any state found in the south east, maybe even the East Coast. Lenny Renken who is also a long time friend of mine, is mind boggling sometimes. He is amazing at realism, portraits & Japanese art. Ian White is new to the shop but is a MVP in my opinion. He does AMAZING black & white/gray scale work. But the dude can also sling some color. Marty "Mart Mart" Riet! is a local graffiti legend in Nashville. If you ever seen some graff on the walls around town & just stopped & stared in awe & said "That incredible..." it was probably Marty's work. Marty is Josh's personal apprentice. He did his 4th tattoo on my leg as part of his apprenticeship & I was blown away. He is super talented & is dying to start tattooing full time. He's also responsible for keeping the shop clean & helping Doy run the front desk & keeping guests feeling welcome & happy. So next time you're in there, pat ole' Mart Mart on the back & tell him he's doing an awesome job. I'm telling you, once you go to Black 13 for a tattoo, you will never go anywhere else. I still live in Atlanta & I travel to Nashville a couple times a year to hang out with my friends & get tattooed because like I said, I won't go anywhere else in the world. Give them a call & talk to Doy or Marty (as they are usually the one's that answer) & they'll be more than happy to book you an appointment. They do accept walk-ins but the artists are usually booked up months in advance so, call ahead unless you just wanna drop by, check the place out & see if MAYBE you can squeeze in somewhere. Pros: friendly, fun, CLEAN, talented artists & guest artists Cons: not enough shops like this
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Steve does amazing work. The tattoo I just got looks like it was painted on canvas. The guys at the shop are great and the atmosphere is very relaxed. I would never go anywhere else for a... More

Steve does amazing work. The tattoo I just got looks like it was painted on canvas. The guys at the shop are great and the atmosphere is very relaxed. I would never go anywhere else for a tattoo. Pros: Great custom art work; Steve Martin is very talented Cons: none
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Josh woods did portraits of my children on me and they are the most amazing tattoos myself or nearly anyone I know has ever seen. They are of my 5 and 4 year old boys that on each arm. Everywhere i... More

Josh woods did portraits of my children on me and they are the most amazing tattoos myself or nearly anyone I know has ever seen. They are of my 5 and 4 year old boys that on each arm. Everywhere i go people can't help but come up and ask me if its real and where in the world I got it done. He does top of the line work in a very clean studio. I've traveled over 600 miles 2 different times and plan on going back again to Josh b/c he is the only person that I trust to ink my skin. Real reasonable pricing and an easy to get to location just off of the highway. I give em top rating!! Pros: Very Easy to get to,
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Before getting another tattoo (it had been years) I did my homework and alot of it. I visited shops in the REGION, searched the internet, read reviews and studied the artists work. After bad visit... More

Before getting another tattoo (it had been years) I did my homework and alot of it. I visited shops in the REGION, searched the internet, read reviews and studied the artists work. After bad visit after bad visit I found Black 13 and never looked back. The artist work speaks for itself. The quality is unmatched. As for the shop experience itself, I was blown-away by the professionalism and the clean and upscale atmosphere. No other shop I visited came close to my experience at Black 13. If your considering a tattoo, save yourself some time and go straight to Black 13. You won't be dissappointed.
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A friend and I (from SC) were in Nashville for a concert, and we decided to get a tattoo while we were here. The first place we went completely ignored us, and we stood there looking at their art... More

A friend and I (from SC) were in Nashville for a concert, and we decided to get a tattoo while we were here. The first place we went completely ignored us, and we stood there looking at their art for about 20 minutes, just waiting for them to acknowledge our presence, which they never did. We finally gave up and headed to Black 13, and were blown away as soon as we walked in the door. The parlor looks amazing... it has to be the classiest tattoo parlor in existence. Their art was on display everywhere, and it is incredible. The guys immediately talked to us, and even though they were pretty much booked all day, they worked us in. It was my first tattoo, and they were completely helpful and honest, telling me what would look good and what would work the best, and making sure that what I decided on would still look good 20 years from now. I didn't have a chance to get nervous because the whole ambience of the place just makes you feel comfortable and at ease. The tattoo that Josh gave me was so much cooler than what I had envisioned... it absolutely rocks! What he can do with color, even on smaller, simpler tattoos, is just amazing. Everybody there was friendly and accessible; they hung out with us while we waited, and you could tell they all love what they do. I can't say enough good things about them, and if (or should I say WHEN) I get a second tattoo, I will be heading back to Black 13. Pros: Everything! Cons: That I live 7 1/2 hours away...
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Ok . . . me and a freind were in Nashville for the weekend and decided to get some ink done. I am really big on the vibe I get from a place and we visited one other tattoo parlor in downtown... More

Ok . . . me and a freind were in Nashville for the weekend and decided to get some ink done. I am really big on the vibe I get from a place and we visited one other tattoo parlor in downtown Nashville and no one spoke to us. We didn't get "be with you in a minute" we got nothing. I felt invisible. This place was not busy at all. So we leave and head to Black 13. We walk in and 1) The interior of the shop is amazing, there is a great atmosphere and it just kinda puts you at ease. 2) the guys were really nice, not condescending or intimidating. The artist are amazing. I just got a really simple tattoo (my third) and it was my friends first tattoo. She could not have asked for a better first tattoo experiance. All in all it was the best tattoo experiance I have had yet. I highly recommend this shop. I am from SC and would totally go back. Pros: Everything Cons: None
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Steve Martin is a PRO, I gave him a few ideas and he ran with them and he created something to be proud of..I coulnt be happier//Check these Guys out they are the real deal.. Pros: Custom... More

Steve Martin is a PRO, I gave him a few ideas and he ran with them and he created something to be proud of..I coulnt be happier//Check these Guys out they are the real deal.. Pros: Custom Artwork Cons: N/A
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Since I travel the country as a road crew member for bands and artists of all sizes I've seen more than my fair share of Tattoo artists and Tattoo Shops Both. However, when I came to Black 13 when... More

Since I travel the country as a road crew member for bands and artists of all sizes I've seen more than my fair share of Tattoo artists and Tattoo Shops Both. However, when I came to Black 13 when my regular artist Ian White was doing a guest spot here (he is now a regular artist there) I instantly felt like I had walked into one of the best shops in the country. The shop sits inside of a historic building with other shops and offices adjacent to Union Station. The location is in a safe area and is easy to take public transportation, ride a bike, or park your car near. From first walking into the main building to stepping foot in the shops common area it is always a comfortable environment, which is a plus for any first timer out there or anyone that gets nervous before appointments in general. All of the artists and staff members were very passionate about their art, thier jobs, and the work of each of their co-workers making it a very unique environment where they all seemed eager to learn even more from each other as they all bring something a little different to the table from one another. My tattoo itself came out better than I could ever have imagined. I was staying in a 4 Star hotel and most of the staff was asking me where I got it done and commenting on how unique the style was that Ian White applied to it. (Go to their site, its the Lighthouse under Ian's profile.) Even the airport security personnel made a point to ask me if I had received the tattoo in Nashville and wanted to know where at. That has to say something in itself. All in all, I would highly recommend Black 13 to everyone in the area and the country both. I fly in from New Jersey just to get tattooed here and I feel that everybody in Nashville should take full advantage of having such an amazing staff of artists at their disposal. 5 Stars for Black 13 Pros: Location, Staff, Environment, Parking Cons: None
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