At the time you set your appointment. we require a deposit, which comes off the price of the tattoo. There are two very good reasons for this. First, a deposit insures that you will show up. It takes time to set up for, and clean up after a tattoo, and those supplies cost, even of a tattoo never happens. Second, you are buying a time slot. Once you have put down a deposit that time is yours.
Cover-up work is done on a case by case basis. Mostly depending on if the previous work can be fixed or covered. If the work is to bad, ie; to dark, to big, scarred or Fubar'ed we probably won't touch it. Take scarring for instance: You can not tattoo over scars. It's like trying to put latex paint over a vasoline spot on the wall. It won't work! Anyone who tries to tell you different is lying!!! We will not do you the injustice of taking your money for work that won't stick.
At Doctor John's Body Art Studio, the words 'ethics' and 'morals' carry alot of weight. Doctor John turned away a $2000.00 tattoo a few summers ago. The guy wanted Jesus Christ, crusified on his back. Everything was going fine until the he came in to proof the art work. The guy said "Yes, thats great. Can you do it upside down?" Well that put a quick stop to that business transaction.
Moral of the story is...We don't do anything Vulgar, Crudely sexual, Racially offencive, or otherwise idiotic. Things, that the test of time has shown, you will regret later. Speaking of which, there is no such thing as the chinese "alphabet." Alot of places claim to have it. We have a copy of the falesy also. We do Chinese chairactors. Do the research, though. Check refrence guides. The Chinese do not have an "alphabet."
We don't quote prices over the phone or the intenet for that matter. Each tattoo is unique (or at least it should be) prices are dictated by the amount of work involved.