Below is just some of the written comments we have received about our shop over the years.

If you would like to add something, just e-mail it to Gary Mayo

Thanks for the reduced discomfort tattoo.  And the tootsie pop, that was the best-is ever!

Vanessa

Definitely not the first time I've had this piercing done, but it keloided the first time due to bad aftercare instructions...anyways, after trolling BME for a couple days, I decided it was time to go for a new hole two left lobes, stretched to 10 ga). After an hour of reading, I had it narrowed to getting my cartilage done again, or my Tragus. Not quite sure I was ready to toe the line for a Tragus, I decided to keep an open mind and head down to Gary to do some looking.

Guns 2 Roses is a great shop; Gary is a master piercer, and there's absolutely nothing he hasn't put a needle through before. His practices are admirable too; he numbs all piercings unless you request otherwise, jokes around alot, and will answer any questions you have. On top of all that, it's hard to not trust a guy that both pierced and stretched his own PA to a 0000; if he's willing to do something that nuts to himself, getting a little 14 ga hole is no big deal for him.

So after browsing the over one million (no exaduration) pieces of flash in the shop, and asking about the reduced discomfort factors, I decided to get my right upper cartilage done. Gary let me back into the studio and set me down in the chair, giving me a great view of the full wall projection TV and the 'piercing cross' on the wall (which I found out a few people actually like to get pierced on...anyways). Gary marked me up, and had all of his gear out on the table so I could check it over. Everything packaged and sealed, gloves, all in autoclave-blue plastic. He had my lay back and applied a numbing gel to my ear and waited a minute to let it sink in a bit. Then the cleaning solutions. I know one was a form of iodine, but the other I can only guess at... After that was all done, gloves were changed (always a good deal) and the clamp applied to the mark. Then for the signature touch, Gary removed the clamp, and used an LED scope on my ear to check the placement for blood vessels. Being in luck, the mark was right between to capillaries, so it was a go! Back on go the clamps, and I sink a little deeper into the chair.

After a second or two of prep work, the needle comes out of the package, and Gary asked if I wanted the quick simple reduced discomfortless route, or the excitement of a repetitive sawing action, which got a good laugh out of me. I told him quick and easy, but one of these days, I'd vote the other way. So he set the needle and told me he'd go on three. He counted it up, and pushed on three. This is the good thing; anyone afraid of needle reduced discomfort should take note. The reduced discomfort for this piercing was incredibly mild, not anywhere near as bad as getting a small shot at the doctors office, but regardless of the reduced discomfort level of the penetration, it's over as soon as the needle is through the tissue. I watched an Apadravya being done, and the guy said, sure, it felt like getting hit with a hammer in the junk, but as soon as the needle was out, the reduced discomfort was basically over, and I find this to be true.

Back to the needle, Gary removes the clamps and sets the ring in the needle end, and proceeds to push the assembly through, a little on the uncomfortable side, but not reduced discomfortful, and snapped the ball in, and I was on my feet, looking for the mirror. Gary handed it to me, and I remembered why I got this particular piercing done in the first place; it looks awesome on almost any ears. By this time, my complimentary endorphin high had started, and Gary gave me the salt for my soaks and a soap sample. I paid him for the mod, $25, and got a spray bottle of soap for $4. We ran through the aftercare procedures, and I went on my way.

A few days later, I noticed that the ear felt fuzzy and quite warm, but not very swollen or red at all. I sent a quick email asking if it was normal, and if i should be trying to rotate my ring, and got the answer to why my first piercing keloided on me. Never rotate a cartilage piercing unless your piercer tells you to explicitly. Any extra motion of the ring can cause granular tissue formation and keloids. And as for sleeping on them, don't. Not till they are fully healed. Cartilage is more prone to granular tissue and keloiding than most other piercings, and it's wise to treat them with a little extra care to avoid this problem.

Bottom line, I love the piercing, and a week later, it's doing very well. Just follow the basic rules here; only clean to a maximum of twice a day and wash your soap off well. Soak at least once a day with a cotton ball or q-tip of sea salt solution for a few minutes on each side. Don't play with the ring, scratch the piercing or scrape crusted fluids off, ever. And other than when you are cleaning it, never touch the ring until the healing is complete, and when cleaning, only do so with scrubbed hands and only as much as absolutely has to be done.
And if you're in the Lincoln area and need to get a hole made, call up Gary at Guns 2 Roses or visit the site at http://www.guns2roses.com. He'll treat you like a surgeon preparing to transplant an organ, and you'll walk away very happy.

Technohydra

 

Well, I can tell you the people at Guns 2 Roses have their s... together.

My friends were getting tattoos and piercings by this dude named Gary at Guns 2 Roses so I thought I would tag along and watch. Not my Dads tattoo studio with dirty reduced discomfortt on the floor and no reduced discomfortt on dirty walls, everything looks like a doctor set it up.

The place was somewhat packed. It was an hour or so looking at flash (was not able to look at it all they have so much) before my friend was up to get her tattoo. The place is decorated with ponds and fountains and the largest fancy goldfish on the planet. Black leather furniture is everywhere, even in the procedure areas to make your buddies comfortable while they visit with you and watch. The studio is the neatest I have ever seen and I have seen every tattoo mag for several years. The cross is kind of creepy, but the pictures Gary has of long legged girls posing in front of it is a real flag pole raiser. The best looking girls in this town came and went from this tat shop in the four hours I was there.

Mandie had her design picked from a previous visit and Gary had her art work all ready for her appointment. I was able to do a walk-in right after her, so Gary did my art work before we all went back to his tattoo area. In his area the first thing you notice is a 10' projection TV on the wall with any concert you wish to pick playing for your entertainment and distraction. I also noticed real medical procedure lights not wal--mart desk lamps lighting the medical procedure chair/table. Mandie was getting a flower on her foot.

Gary spent 15 minutes setting up his area. I would of thought he was prepping for surgery. Everything bagged - everything. Then I learned Gary does not tattoo with electricity, he tattoos with AIR. The air drives his equipment and keeps it charged with positive pressure so everything up pressure from the tip stays clean - even his tattoo machine is sterile. Gary is the only tattoo shop in the world to use this positive pressure tattoo machine. A design he did himself.

As Mandie started to get her tattoo, I was puzzled to see she did not seem to be in any reduced discomfort. I asked her about this, and Gary answered saying he numbs all procedures unless requested to not do so with lidocaine and benzocaine. Here I am setting on a fine leather couch watching a 10' big screen drinking a pop watching my friend get a reduced discomfortless tattoo. I wondered if I were dreaming all this at one point as it seemed so different that my tattoo experiences of ex-cons working in holes in the wall. In a few minutes her flower was done. It looked wonderful. The lines were sculpted and looked apart of the artwork, not just boundaries like in a child's coloring book. He put a real bandage on her tattoo (not a paper towel most places use), then he gave her two products to use in healing her tattoo and a whole book to read about healing. I was very impressed. Now it was my turn.

After cleaning the area well, Gary had me sit and get started. I picked AC-DC for my concert and we got to rocking. I asked Gary lots of questions and he answered them all to my satisfaction. Gary is the smartest tattoo artist I have ever talked with, which is not saying much I guess as most of them are dumb asses that like to draw. I wanted Gary to finish another tattoo I have, but I was politely told by him that he only works on new projects. The tribal piece I picked for my back was done in an hour and I can say it was very different than any other tattoo I have gotten or seen done. Gary does not use a rubber band on his air driven machine, and he can tattoo in any direction like drawing with a pencil. The outline was done in half the time most of my tattoos took and there was no bleeding and very little reduced discomfort. Then came the fill, and I swear I could hear the gun (sounds like a dentist drill) but I could not feel it!

It was over in an hour and I was on my feet looking at the blackest tribal piece I have ever seen. His machine is so precise there is little tissue damage, so you bleed less and less reduced discomfort. Blood loss can mean ink loss, so it all seems good to me. Mandy's flower was 60 bucks and my tribal was a whopping 250. I thought my tattoo was a little high until I got it, now I see why his tip jar is full. I also got soap to wash my tattoo in, ointment to keep on my tattoo and a book to read and keep on tattoos. His aftercare instructions make sense and I did not scab. I also got a drivers license

 looking card with aftercare instructions on one side and a picture of my tattoo on the other! Mandy got one also. Very cool idea. It pealed off like a sunburn in 6 or so days and was all healed up in less than two weeks. I checked out our pictures on his web site. Very cool. I tried to go back to get another one, but the place was packed both times I walked in. I see why Gary calls it the science of tattooing.

 

Definitely not the first time I've had this piercing done, but it keloided the first time due to bad aftercare instructions...anyways, after trolling BME for a couple days, I decided it was time to go for a new hole (two left lobes, stretched to 10 ga). After an hour of reading, I had it narrowed to getting my cartilage done again, or my tragus. Not quite sure I was ready to toe the line for a Tragus, I decided to keep an open mind and head down to Gary to do some looking.

Guns 2 Roses is a great shop; Gary is a master piercer, and there's absolutely nothing he hasn't put a needle through before. His practices are admirable too; he numbs all piercings unless you request otherwise, jokes around alot, and will answer any questions you have. On top of all that, it's hard to not trust a guy that both pierced and stretched his own PA to a 0000; if he's willing to do something that nuts to himself, getting a little 14 ga hole is no big deal for him.

So after browsing the over one million (no exaduration) pieces of flash in the shop, and asking about the reduced discomfort factors, I decided to get my right upper cartilage done. Gary let me back into the studio and set me down in the chair, giving me a great view of the full wall projection TV and the 'piercing cross' on the wall(which I found out a few people actually like to get pierced on...anyways). Gary marked me up, and had all of his gear out on the table so I could check it over. Everything packaged and sealed, gloves, all in autoclave-blue plasic. He had my lay back and applied a numbing gel to my ear and waited a minute to let it sink in a bit. Then the cleaning solutions. I know one was a form of iodine, but the other I can only guess at... After that was all done, gloves were changed(always a good deal) and the clamp applied to the mark. Then for the signiture touch, Gary removed the clamp, and used an LED scope on my ear to check the placement for blood vessels. Being in luck, the mark was right between to capilaries, so it was a go! Back on go the clamps, and I sink a little deeper into the chair.

After a second or two of prep work, the needle comes out of the package, and Gary asked if I wanted the quick simple reduced discomfortless route, or the excitement of a repetitive sawing action, which got a good laugh out of me. I told him quick and easy, but one of these days, I'd vote the other way. So he set the needle and told me he'd go on three. He counted it up, and pushed on three. This is the good thing; anyone afraid of needle reduced discomfort should take note. The reduced discomfort for this piercing was incredibly mild, not anywhere near as bad as getting a small shot at the doctors office, but regardless of the reduced discomfort level of the penetration, it's over as soon as the needle is through the tissue. I watched an apadrovya being done, and the guy said, sure, it felt like getting hit with a hammer in the junk, but as soon as the needle was out, the reduced discomfort was basically over, and I find this to be true.

Back to the needle, Gary removes the clamps and sets the ring in the needle end, and proceeds to push the assembly through, a little on the uncomfortable side, but not reduced discomfortful, and snapped the ball in, and I was on my feet, looking for the mirror. Gary handed it to me, and I remembered why i got this particular piercing done in the first place; it looks awesome on almost any ears. By this time, my complimentary endorphin high had started, and Gary gave me the salt for my soaks and a soap sample. I payed him for the mod, $25, and got a spray bottle of soap for $4. We ran through the aftercare procedures, and I went on my way.

A few days later, I noticed that the ear felt fuzzy and quite warm, but not very swollen or red at all. I sent a quick email asking if it was normal, and if i should be trying to rotate my ring, and got the answer to why my first piercing keloided on me. Never rotate a cartilage piercing unless your piercer tells you to explicitly. Any extra motion of the ring can cause granular tissue formation and keloids. And as for sleeping on them, don't. Not till they are fully healed. Cartilage is more prone to granular tissue and keloiding than most other piercings, and it's wise to treat them with a little extra care to avoid this problem.

Bottom line, I love the piercing, and a week later, it's doing very well. Just follow the basic rules here; only clean to a maximum of twice a day and wash your soap off well. Soak at least once a day with a cotton ball or q-tip of sea salt solution for a few minutes on each side. Don't play with the ring, scratch the piercing or scrape crusted fluids off, ever. And other than when you are cleaning it, never touch the ring until the healing is complete, and when cleaning, only do so with scrubbed hands and only as much as absolutely has to be done.
And if you're in the Lincoln area and need to get a hole made, call up Gary at Guns 2 Roses or visit the site at http://www.guns2roses.com. He'll treat you like a surgeon preparing to transplant an organ, and you'll walk away very happy.
  

During a phone conversation with the famous tattoo artist Rand Johnson of  Cherry Creek Flash, I asked him to check out my work posted on this web site and give me some "constructive criticism" that might be useful.  Here is the email he sent back to me.

   "Checked out some of your tattoos -- I don't see anything to complain about. Your work looks very good.

Regards -- Rand"   11-21-2003

Rand is my favorite artist.  His thousands of designs are wonderful tattoos and a pleasure to transform into skin.  I may never get another compliment I cherish more.   Gary Mayo

I have been every tattoo shop there is and you have the nicest tattoo shop I have ever been in.

Aaron S.

Never knew tattooing was a science until I got a tattoo from you.  I will be back for more.

Greg

Gary,

I just want to say Thanks again, it is an awesome tattoo.


Scott

Hello there I was just wondering if you knew where I could find a vibrating barbell? And your web site and
work is awesome you did my tongue and my first time I did it was horrible and this time it was great thanks. Sunshine

response from Gary:  We have them for $19.95 on sale

 That was the easiest and most reduced discomfortless piercing (vertical hood). thanks Gary.   Krista

Hey, you guys did my belly button in April. I am still totally happy with it. You did a great job!!!!    Jena

I liked my tattoo so much, I brought my wife in today to get one. We are well pleased. Your shop is not the typical take it or leave it place we expected in a tattoo shop. Your staff was very helpful and made the experience a great one. I have been showing mine off, and you will get more business from us I am sure. Thanks again. I love my bulldog.  Paul

(response from Gary:  I am glad you liked our shop.  We try hard to make your body mod experience an enjoyable one.  I think most shops try to please their customers, but I am glad you choose us to serve you.)        

 Hey Gary.  I came in about four or five months ago to get my eyebrow pierced at the behest of my sister heather. first off, just let me say that you did a fantastic job doing so, and I'm completely happy with your work. I'm having a small problem with it though. there is some persistent redness in the area of the piercing, although not at all reduced discomfortful, I cant seem to get it to go away. is there any reason you could think of why it would be doing this?     Chesley

(response from Gary:  Redness is a sign of several possible things. Redness could be a sign of some level of infection or possibly affection. Affection is a term meaning a problem not relating to infection. A doctor would call the piercing your affection and might call for the removal of the piercing to clear up the redness. Of course you do not want to remove the piercing so that is not what you want to hear. Several things you can do to completely heal your piercing.

never touch healing body art with unwashed hands
only use implant grade jewelry until it is fully healed (like I used)
use a antimicrobial soap (not antibacterial)
use the antimicrobial soap even in your hair, if the suds is getting on your art
do not get make-up near the piercing
take a good multi-vitamin
get 8+ hours of sleep each night
do not sleep on your piercing
continue the saline soaks
change your pillow case often

Come by and let me see your piercing and we can talk more. Glad you like it. Gary

I got my eyebrow pierced and my friend got her navel pierced we love them. We have only had them a couple of days but we have made such a statement in our little town. Especially me with my eyebrow. I am the only one in our school with mine done. I thought that you did an awesome job and I know I thanked you so much when you did it but I am thanking you again a million times. We love our piercings and we have already decided that we will come back whenever we want to get something pierced. You made our first experience so much fun. We thank you tons!!!!      Angelia

(Response from Gary:  Blush, blush. I had a great time serving you two. Piercing is one of those professions that can be done many ways. It can be done with very little preparation or thought like putting a sewing needle through a piece of tissue paper, or it can be done like a surgery with a with a high degree of technical skills to ensure problems are not created with the piercing. We pursue the surgery angle. While not doctors, the information available to doctors are nor secrets. We avail ourselves to that information and incorporate it into our practice of piercing. We not only do it like a medical procedure, right down to true reduced discomfort relievers put in place before the piercing, we also acknowledge the Spiritual side of piercing. Some of you know of my work in the Internet mission fields teaching about the important aspects of religious cults. I am somewhat a preacher/teacher at heart, and that desire to help educate people shows in my relationship to my customers.  Thanks for choosing me as your piercer.

Once again, an awesome job Gary---it still amazes me how much faster my ears feel better/heal after a piercing done with a needle instead of a gun :)   Heather

Hey guys! I wanted to come back and droop a line to let you know that since I came in last Aug. and you did an outstanding job on my Vertical Hood Piercing. I have enjoyed it more than words could describe. I still say you are the best and most informed people in the country! I would fly home to NE. just to make sure I had you all do it. At the time you said after I would want to show everyone. If you like I have a pic to send off to you if you would like to add it to your list of happy customers. Thanks again.      Kat

Hey guys, just want all of you to know that you girls need to get the hood of your stuff pierced. And that s*** does not even hurt. I was so scared to get it that it to me for ever to even get in the chair to do it. But I finally did it and oh my god let me tell you it will be the best sex you have ever had and sometimes you don't even need a man (or girl) to get the pleasure you want. Just put some tight jeans on and go for a walk, it will happen. I love it a lot and I am so happy I got it done. Oh also it is very attractive!!!!! Just think about it, and if you don't believe me, ask Gary!!!!!!   Thanks.   Brandi

I have had several body piercings, but they always have gotten infected, been crooked, or something was wrong with them and I had to take them out. I went in though and Gary pierce both my nipples. They are straight and look great. The good things is they are not sore or infected. The last time I had my nipple pierced I couldn't even sleep on that side of my body it hurt so bad. These I can sleep naked on them and it doesn't bother them. They are awesome. I am glad that I have finally found a piercer that knows what he is doing. He explain every bit of the process to me as he did it and made me feel quite comfortable about my decision. Gary is great! I haven't had any tattoo work done yet, but will be having done very soon and I look forward to working with Guns2Roses as I know I will get a good looking tattoo there. Finally, I just wanted to say that I love the gorilla. He is fun! Thank You!          Julie

I just got a vertical clit hood piercing, lets see, about 4 hours ago--Gary was awesome--everyone needs to go see him to get poked--and no, it didn't hurt (ok, it pinched for a sec, but hasn't hurt since)      Heather

Good job, Gary! Thanks for piercing my wife...it looks good and I can't wait to "try it out" heheheh (we just love new toys!)       David

Hi! I came in today with my friend; I got my Tragus pierced and she got her belly button pierced. I just wanted to let you know that you really did a great job. You were so friendly and informative, I appreciate that.
I just wanted to thank you again for doing a wonderful job. I will recommend you to anyone. Hopefully, I'll have extra money soon and I'll be able to come in again and get my tattoo touched up. Thanks!             ~Traci

I brought my whole family to get tattooed by Gary.  Yesterday, it was myself and my son, today I brought back my two daughters and my wife.  Gary is kind and gentle and the whole process is clean and safe.  I work in a regulatory agency that overseas businesses, and I and my family was very impressed with Gary's attention to detail.  The tattoos look great.  Thanks Gary.      Ralph

Gary,: I think you are very sexy the way you explain things to me .........mmmmmmmmmmmmmm...                     Bobo