Bishop Rotary Tattoo Machine Review

  • Written By Dan Hunter on February 02, 2023
    Last Updated: February 3, 2023

As the art of tattooing increases in popularity, many people are choosing to become tattoo artists. There are many things to consider before choosing this as a career or hobby, and you should make sure that you learn from a professional. 

Your tattoo machine will be one of the essential pieces of equipment when starting your tattooing journey. With this in mind, you need to choose wisely, ensuring that the tattoo machine you invest in is suitable for your needs.


The Bishop Rotary tattoo machine was created in 2008 with efficiency, consistency and power as a priority. The founder of the brand Franco Vescovi has over 25 years of experience in tattooing. He wanted to give users the confidence to perform to their highest potential by developing tattoo equipment that allows them to do this.

The Bishop Rotary tattoo machine is ideal for both beginners, apprentices, and professional tattoo artists. 

Pros

  • High-quality tattoo machines made from strong aircraft aluminum.
  • Ergonomic design for a comfortable grip.
  • Lightweight reduces fatigue during long sessions.
  • Powerful and fast direct-drive motor.
  • Smooth transitions with minimal vibration.

Cons

  • The tattoo machine only accepts an RCA connection.
  • Too expensive for some users. An investment piece.

We’ve reviewed the Bishop rotary tattoo machine below to save you time. We’ll also share all you need to know about this great tattoo machine and the features and benefits that will give you the quality and confidence that you need to go out there and start tattooing. 

Things To Consider Before Buying a Bishop Rotary Tattoo Machine

A tattoo machine is the most important tool in your tattoo kit, so getting the best machine possible makes sense. You will be using it for many hours at a time, and you need it to be lightweight and comfortable to reduce any fatigue you may feel from many tattoo machines. 

Your tattoo machine will be an investment as a high-quality gun doesn’t come cheap. With this in mind, you need to ensure that the tattoo machine will give you the excellent results you need, and the Bishop Rotary tattoo machine definitely does this.

You need to consider many things before choosing your tattoo machine. Some of these things would be; the cost, quality materials, durability, comfort, and the quality of the tattoos it produces. Happy customers will make for a happy tattoo artist and will improve your reputation as well as your client base.

Features and Benefits of a Bishop Rotary Tattoo Machine

Tattoo machines come in many shapes and sizes with lots of great features. The Bishop Rotary tattoo machine is a great quality machine with a comfortable and easy-to-use design. Below we share with you what makes this tattoo machine so good.

Type Of Tattoo Machine

The Bishop Rotary tattoo machine was one of the first designed rotary machines introduced in 2008. It has been improved upon constantly since its launch to give you an excellent tattoo machine, and it’s the ideal tattoo machine to use when transitioning from a coil machine to a rotary machine.

The rotary tattoo machine has a small spinning motor attached to an armature that gives you the perfect up and down motion. This motion moves the needles of the tattoo machine in a fast but smooth way, producing amazing tattoos that are kinder to your skin than using a coil tattoo machine. 

The Bishop Rotary tattoo machine has a custom-made Faulhauber precision German motor that gives you the speed and precision needed. The tattoo machine works with both traditional needles and cartridges, giving you versatility and choice.

Another great thing about the Bishop Rotary tattoo machines is that the company offers a lifetime warranty on the tattoo machine frame and a one-year warranty on all machine parts, including the motor.

Who Should Use This?

The Bishop Rotary tattoo machine is suitable for all levels of tattooists, from beginners just starting out to professional tattoo artists that have been tattooing for many years. The tattoo machine is easy to understand and comfortable to work with, so just about anyone can use it. 

However, it’s a high-quality tattoo machine that doesn’t come cheap, so you need to be committed to a career in tattooing before choosing this tattoo machine. It should be seen as an investment piece not used for a five-minute tattooing phase that you’re going through.

It’s a great choice for those working long hours and suffering from pain in their wrist as it’s lightweight and designed to fit comfortably in your hand. Your customers will also thank you for choosing this tattoo machine, as it’s built to complete your tattoos quicker and reduce the healing time.  

What Is It Best For?

This tattoo machine is versatile and can complete a whole range of tattooing styles. It’s ideal for lining, shading, and even color packing. You’ll find that you can produce all kinds of tattoos with just one tattoo machine. 

This range of different styles removes the need to have several tattoo machines, and it means that you don’t have to waste time swapping between one tattoo machine to another when changing the style that you’re doing. 

It’s easy to change the needle to suit the style of tattoo that you’re doing. You just need to turn the knob on the machine, and it will select the required needles. 

Shape, Size, and Weight

The Bishop Rotary tattoo machine has been carefully thought about during the design process. It has been made with a balanced ERGO-design to help reduce fatigue and pain that can be felt when using a tattoo machine for long sessions. It’s super lightweight, weighing in at just 107grams, small, and is comfortable to use.

Each Bishop tattoo machine is assembled by hand, ensuring the best quality. The device is made from durable aircraft aluminum that will last for years. It’s then hand polished to give an excellent finish.

You can choose a machine to suit you and your tattoo studio as the Bishop Rotary tattoo machine comes in many different colors, giving you a great choice that is almost personalized for you and your style.

Power

The Bishop Rotary tattoo machine is excellent at holding its power for long periods of time, allowing you to complete extended sessions whenever it’s needed. It works with several power supplies and is connected to the power supply with an RCA cord. 

The recommended voltage for your tattoo machine depends on what style you’re currently applying. When completing the lining of your tattoo, you should run the machine between 8 and 9 volts. If you’re shading or color packing, the machine should run between 7.5 to 8.5 volts. The recommended voltage is a guide and will depend on your hand speed and style.

Noise and Vibration

As the tattoo machine has been designed with the tattoo artist and the customer in mind, this tattoo machine has been built to be quiet and give out minimal vibration. 

The reduced noise is ideal when doing long tattoo sessions as a loud machine can be distracting for both the tattoo artist completing the work to the customer, who may be put off by the loud noise given out by lots of other brands of tattoo machines.

Cost

The Bishop Rotary tattoo machine is quite expensive, but it should be viewed as an investment piece. It’s a great asset to your tattoo kit and will last for many years.

As the tattoo machine is versatile, it also removes the need to have many different tattoo machines, which can cost a great deal of money to purchase and maintain.

Safety

The health and safety of both you and your customers are paramount at all times when tattooing, and you must make sure that you’re trained correctly before attempting to tattoo people. It can be dangerous, causing many health issues as well as permanently damaging their body. 

Sterilization is vital to reduce the risk of cross-contamination, infections, and blood-borne pathogens. There are many courses out there that you should enroll in before becoming a tattoo artist. 

Once you understand the risks involved in the tattoo procedure, you’ll be a better tattoo artist that can be trusted, and your reputation will then continue to grow. 

From the Web

We’ve checked out reviews online to see what others are saying about the Bishop rotary tattoo machine. Here are just a few of the comments we found:

Conclusion

The Bishop Rotary tattoo machine is an excellent choice when it comes to tattoo machines. It offers a well-balanced, super lightweight gun that’s easy to handle and comfortable to use. It’s versatile and gives you many options when using it, removing the need for different tattoo machines.
Why not decide for yourself by checking out the Bishop rotary tattoo machine to see what you think. You’ll be able to create stunning tattoos for your friends and customers.