The Amen tattoo machine is an exceptional new machine designed by Stigma-Rotary® that gives tattoo artists unparalleled control while they work. The Amen machine features a new hex drive system that allows tattoo artists to change between three different strokers to alter the motor’s cycle. This flexibility allows tattoo artists to choose exactly how much time their tattoo needles spend in the skin versus in the machine’s tube during each cycle.
Before we get into the specifics of how the Amen tattoo machine’s interchangeable strokers make this new machine unique and how they work, let’s take a look at the company that created this amazing piece of machinery.
The Birth of Stigma-Rotary®
Stigma-Rotary® is the brainchild of rotary pioneer and tattoo artist Artemis Rosakis, who founded the company in 2005. Rosakis invented, designed and built the first generation of Stigma-Rotary® tattoo machines, starting with their first adjustable rotary machine released the year the company was founded. Rosakis continues to act as lead developer of every Stigma tattoo machine model created, which to date includes the Beast, the Prodigy, the Hyper V3, and now the Amen tattoo machine.
The exceptionally-high production quality of Stigma products has lead Stigma-Rotary® to become a global leader responsible for manufacturing some of the best rotary tattoo machines on the market. Their tattoo machines are all built using revolutionary technology and with the goal of making every tattoo artist’s job easier. Stigma rotary tattoo machines provide tattoo artists with maximum performance and optimal results for all tattooing techniques, including lining, shading, blending, layering, and color packing.
European distributor Killer Ink, founded in 2008 with the goal of supplying artists with the best equipment possible at the most reasonable prices, is proud to be the main global distribution partner for Stigma-Rotary® tattoo machines. They stand by the quality of all of the tattoo supplies they sell, including the full range of Stigma® products they’ve made available in the U.S. through select distributors like Painful Pleasures.
What Makes Stigma’s Amen Tattoo Machines Unique
The Amen tattoo machine is the newest addition to the Stigma-Rotary® family of products. It’s interchangeable strokers are what set the Amen machine apart from other rotary tattoo machines. They make the Amen an amazing tool for tattoo artists by offering them the ability to do optimal shading, lining and other tattooing techniques with minor alterations to one machine. Each Amen tattoo machine comes with three different strokers that can be swapped in and out in seconds to achieve different results: a black stroker for lining work, a gray stroker for all-purpose work, and a silver stroker for shading work.
The Amen Tattoo Machine’s Black Lining Stroker
The Amen machine caters to all tattooing techniques thanks to its three interchangeable strokers, but it comes pre-loaded with the black liner stroker because this machine was designed to line like no other rotary or coil machine ever built. The black stroker has a 3.8mm (~0.15 inches) stroke length, which is what makes it ideal for lining work. With the black stroker in place, your tattoo needles will spend 35% of the time in the skin and 65% of the time inside the machine’s tube.
The video below* demonstrates the black stroker in action, clearly showing how each cycle performs when an artist is using this stroker with their Amen tattoo machine. Please note that the black stroker shown in the video looks a bit different than the one that comes with the Amen machine. It’s been modified for the video to provide a clearer visual of the black lining stroker’s cycle motion.
*Please note that this video and the two others that follow are displayed in super-slow motion so you can clearly see how each stroker works per cycle, depending which stroker is in use.
The All-Purpose Gray Stroker & the Silver Shader Stroker
The Amen’s gray stroker is intended for all-purpose tattoo work. It has a 3.5mm (~0.14 inches) stroke length. When the gray stroker is in use, your tattoo needles will spend 45% of the time in the skin and 55% of the time in the tattoo tube during each cycle.
When you’re doing shading work, swap the silver stroker into your Amen machine for optimal results. The Amen’s silver stroker has a 3.0mm (~0.12 inches) stroke length. When in use, your needles will spend half the time in the skin and half the time in the tube during each cycle. The video below demonstrates the silver stroker’s cycle performance.
A Side-by-Side Comparison of the Amen Tattoo Machine’s Strokers
The Amen tattoo machine meets tattoo artists’ every need thanks to its interchangeable strokers. The side-by-side comparison video below shows how the different strokers alter the way the machine operates while maintaining optimal performance no matter which stroker you’re using.
More Information About the Amen’s Strokers
Each of the Amen’s three strokers are color-coded and laser-engraved with information to make them clearly distinguishable from each other. They’re easily interchangeable, so you can swap in a gray all-purpose stroker, a black liner or a silver shader stroker instantly and get right back to work.
Using the Stigma-Rotary® Amen Tattoo Machine
The Stigma-Rotary® Amen tattoo machine is fully adjustable, and it comes standard with all three of the strokers that can be used with this tattoo machine. While it comes pre-loaded with the black stroker, the simple ability to swap in the gray, silver or black stroker as desired makes the Amen machine fit for all purposes. 
This tattoo machine can be easily configured to hit hard or soft to suit your preference, too.
When you use the black lining stroker or the gray all-purpose stroker with your Amen tattoo machine, your tattoo needles will spend more time in the tube than in the skin, leading to effortless penetration with minimal trauma to the skin. As the needles penetrate the skin, you’ll find that they move much faster than with other rotary machines.
At times when you need your Amen to function like a standard rotary tattoo machine, swap in the silver shading stroker. It’s optimal for shading because it has a 50% down stroke and a 50% up stroke action.
The fully-adjustable Amen tattoo machine can be easily configured to hit soft or hard, depending on your preference. The stroke length (hub) will change automatically in combination with the give adjustment and speed (volts). To get longer strokes, simply increase the speed (by volts), or decrease the speed (again, by volts) to get shorter strokes. Note that when you adjust the machine for lining, you’ll get shorter, harder strokes as a result. When you adjust it for shading, you’ll get longer, softer strokes.
MotorPlugs for the Amen Tattoo Machine
Before attaching the MotorPlug of your choice, the Amen body weighs a mere 48 grams (~1.69 ounces). As with other Stigma-Rotary® tattoo machines, the Amen machine is compatible with all existing MotorPlugs. You’ll simply need to replace the stroke excenter with the new hex spinner that comes with each Amen machine. You can do that in a matter of seconds using the allen key provided. (Note: Hex Spinner Replacement Parts are available, if you lose or damage the one that comes with your Amen tattoo machine.)
You have three MotorPlug options that you can use with your Amen tattoo machine: the 4.5W V2 MotorPlug, the 10W MotorPlug, and the new 5W EC MotorPlug. Let’s take a look at the benefits of each:
The 4.5W V2 MotorPlug
The 4.5W V2 MotorPlug has sufficient power to run all Stigma-Rotary® tattoo machines. It’s one of the strongest rotary machine motors available–so strong that it can effortlessly push up to 50-needle configurations. It’s lighter and slightly smaller than the 10W MotorPlug, weighing in at just 44 grams (~1.55 ounces). You can achieve any tattooing technique with the 4.5W V2 MotorPlug, from blending to shading, layering to lining, color packing and more.
The 10W MotorPlug
The 10W MotorPlug has twice the power of the 4.5W V2 MotorPlug option, as well as a different feeling and performance. With the 10W MotorPlug, your machine’s speed will be consistent, and it’s higher torque will prevent your machine from ever stalling out. 
Even when using this MotorPlug at lower volts, your tattoo needles will still penetrate the skin no matter how much resistance you encounter. The 10W MotorPlug drives any needle or needle cartridge with ease, so you won’t need to remove the stay-up spring from the machine or increase the volts to get it started. This MotorPlug is so powerful that it gets the job done effortlessly and lasts longer than other MotorPlug options. In fact, it can run for up to 24 hours and stay cool the entire time.
Bottom Line: The 10W MotorPlug has some serious advantages. It has both RCA and clipcord connection options, it’s stronger and has more torque, it lines effortlessly even with the largest needle groupings, and it packs color like no other motor on the market.
The 5W EC MotorPlug
The 5W EC MotorPlug is unique in that it uses brushless technology. Standard motors require brushes to operate, and those brushes collect dirt, dust and debris that eventually impact the motors’ performance and that can begin to cause fluctuations in power over time. The new 5W EC MotorPlug, on the other hand, doesn’t need brushes to operate. That one difference increases the lifespan of these motors by 10 times. Plus, if you choose a 5W EC Brushless MotorPlug to use with your Amen tattoo machine, you can rest assured that it will always perform with the same consistency that it did the very first time you used it.
Stigma-Rotary® Warranty Information
Every Stigma-Rotary® tattoo machine comes with a 12-month manufacturer’s warranty that’s valid directly with Stigma. In the very unlikely event that you experience a technical problem with your Amen tattoo machine or other Stigma-Rotary® product as the result of a verifiable manufacturing fault, please refer to your manual to find Stigma’s contact info, or look for the “Contact Us” link on Stigma’s website. Alternatively, you can reach out to us through our Contact section, and we’ll send you instructions on how to reach out to Stigma-Rotary® directly so that they can resolve your issue.
Important Note: Please read your Amen tattoo machine instruction manual carefully to ensure that you operate your machine correctly and don’t accidentally void the manufacturer’s warranty. Note that wear of parts caused by normal use are excluded from warranty coverage. The motor is not covered either, because of the many factors and conditions to which a motor may be exposed.
Stigma-Rotary® guarantees a high standard of production and quality control that minimizes the chances of ever having to contact them about manufacturer defects. All of tattoo machines are tested thoroughly at the Stigma production plant to ensure that no faulty machine ever leaves the factory, therefore malfunction from the beginning can always be excluded.
More Info About Stigma-Rotary® Products
If you’re interested in learning about Stigma’s other tattoo machines, like the Beast, Hyper V3, or Prodigy, please visit our Stigma-Rotary® Tattoo Machines section. You’ll also find Stigma-Rotary® parts and full warranty information there. You can also visit Stigma’s website to learn more about the company and their products.
