Alternate E6 & F6 fingering - Question about Key

[Scottasax]

I play a Jupiter JAS-769 alto sax. The top key on my sax, the the key used for alternate E6 and F6 fingering does nothing. It doesn't open or close any tone holes. It does the exact same thing that the key below it does. Is this correct? If not, what tone holes should it open or close?

 

[nigeld]

It should close the same two tone holes as the B key below it, and in addition it should open the top F tone hole, like the F palm key does.
There should be a linkage between it and the palm F key.

 

[Scottasax]

It doesn't do that on my sax. I looked at another sax - I don't know the model- it does the same thing, nothing.

 

[Scottasax]

It does close the same two holes as the B key below it, but nothing else.

 

[spike]

It should open the top F key. Hit the palm F key - make sure it's not stuck. It shouldn't be unless there's a bit fallen orff. On the Jupi 769 it's the golden teardrop key just above the B pearl. Is it a new sax?
It has a linkage that closes the B key and C# keys and simultaneously opens that top F key.
Read what @nigeld says and then have a look here and see if you can figure it out.
When I bought my very first sax even before I started to blow I first sat down and pressed all the buttons to see if I could figure out what they did.

 

[nigeld]

As @spike says - try the palm F key first to make sure it isn't stuck.

The front F key should press down on the B key below it, and it should also have a lever that connects to the palm F key.
So look for the linkage between the front F key and the palm F key to see if it is working. Maybe a bit of cork has fallen off.

 

[spike]

I've got my 769 alto in front of me right now. the mechanism has a short rod attached to the front F key lever. It's held in place by a screw - if that has become loose and has gone out of sync it may just be that the F key won't open correctly.
nigeld suggests a bit of cork but the 769 only has one sliver of cork and even if that's come off it should still open the F key regardless.
If at all possible - A close up front on photo of that left hand stack would be useful.

 

[jbtsax]

The common terms for those notes and fingerings are "front F", and "front E". The small key above the B is called the C by most techs in the U.S. However, Stephen Howard calls it the "alternate C". The second key after the B is typically called the A key. The photo below shows the mechanism of this particular model. The "teardrop" key touch is hinged with the upper stack keys and a "rocker" mechanism goes up and down to lift and release the F palm key. If nothing happens when you press down on that key, it is likely the adjusting post is missing.

 

[Nick Wyver]

Are E6 and F6 especially for bats?

 

[Scottasax]

Looking at it more closely I find that the F palm key has a horizontal lever attached to it and there is a slot in the C key that has nothing in it. The adjusting post is missing. Thanks for the help.

 

[jbtsax]

Looking at it more closely I find that the F palm key has a horizontal lever attached to it and there is a slot in the C key that has nothing in it. The adjusting post is missing. Thanks for the help.

Your local repairman can order one for you, or even make a new one.