GK Fusion 550 Gain Question

[Antalian]

I just purchased a GK Fusion 550 (brand new for $616 off amazon, I don't know why it's so cheep there right now but I'd grab them up If i were you!) Anyways, This is my first "man's" amp, before all i've owned are little combos and a GK backline 600. So, this amp has 3 preamp tubes in it, and if i crank the gain high (nearly to max) It gets a siiiick gritty distortion.

But, my question is: Is cranking the gain this high bad for the tubes? I keep the master low, so it's not volume i'm concerned about, it's just will this create problems with the tubes?

Like I said, I'm new to this whole high wattage and tube amp setup, but thank you ahead of time!

[agreatheight]

Crank away.

[Antalian]

Woohooo! I'd hoped that would be the answer! Time to throw out some dirt from my bass!

[martinmcfly]

Wow! I just bought one from MF for about $750 and that's a great deal! It's on back order and should ship this week. I thought about getting the tiny fusion 500 but mt opinion is they just look ridiculously too tiny sitting on my Avatar B212. Kinda like that guy in the movie Beetle Juice With the shrunken head. Besides, the Ampeg amp the 550 ia replacing is over 60 lbs. and the GK is I think 24?