Why thank you! 
The sound samples on the website do not do it justice. In person it sounds, I dunno… Can’t put it in words.
Let’s just say that it has THE sound that I am looking for (not that I can get a decent sound out of it, but from what I can manage), in fact it is quite eerie how much it met my expectations…
if you can’t feel the holes and it sounds like a dying duck, how can you say it’s great? 
Take it to piper near you and have it checked out and the reed adjusted, as a new player, you may need a lighter reed that was supplied.
I was talking about the craftsmanship and all… Heheheheh
But it’s getting better now, I am starting to get an understanding for it. Now I just need to keep that up for a while.
Wow - so many great suggestions. One other one - get a full length mirror and when you practice, watch your fingers in the mirror. You’ll find the divils that aren’t covering the holes.
I liked the suggestion about filling the bag and closing the chanter - all fingers down and chanter on the knee, too. You could find the leaky culprits that way.
Good luck! It is a journey!
K
I am doing that right now! 
Most of my problems are coming from the F# hole. 
Everything is going great now!
But unfortunately I have the dreaded sinking Back D! It just went very flat, but after I take a break it sounds normal again!
Is it humidity/climate related? Am I overplaying it? Or did the fairies find a new guy (me) to pick on?
Are there any pipers that you guys know of that are in Edmonton, Alberta?
I guess it’s pretty obvious that an Uilleann chanter really is a living entity!
It could be an indicator of all kinds of things, but start simple and see if you might just be squashing it. Play a two-octave D scale and try “lightening your bag arm” to reduce your bag pressure just a bit as you approach the back D.
In other words, less power to your elbow! 
Of course it could all change tomorrow. Temperature and humidity definitely have an effect.
My reed has weak back D days every now and again, and I often find tact and diplomacy to be a good solution, at least in the short term. I think I’d rather see you do that than start fooling with the bridle just yet.
Cathy beat me to the punch! Or did she?
Try lots less bag pressure on back D.
Cheers,
Mick
Try play back d’ with two fingers off (thumb and index).
Thanks, the pressure thing is helping! And so is lifting the index finger, but just hafta get used to that though!
It is behaving better today, yesterday it was raining pretty hard, and today it is nice and sunny. So I am guessing that it is a climate/weather thing.
Edit: After I had a shower it played rather sharp (I tested it, and it says likes to play about 14 cents flat of C#.) and the D has gone quite flat. Some of the remaining moisture from my arm must have been sucked through the bellows and into the bag. So I am sure it must be a moisture thing. Does a reed like to play at a certain humidity level?
It sounds eerily similar to the chanter in The Wandering Minstrel. Which is interesting!
Sorry for going on and on and on! I’m just having too much fun with my new toy, and I am also still trying to wrap my head around how this very mysterious instrument works. (Aren’t we all?) 
Sinking note on thumb hole - could be lips are too thin, sides of blades leaking, bridle closed down too much, too much bag pressure, or like someone said…any combination. Not sure what size bore Sam is making for this C# chanter - narrow/wide.
BTW, I met David Shulz, from Colville WA, the other day…playing his uilleann pipes at a concert. He complains about the lack of humidity in his area. Also, got to know an accomplished gaita bagpipe player who lives in Bozman MT. His pipes are played with the lungs though. These two guys are about the closest pipers (non-Highland) I know to Alberta.
Mine do; all were made in Ireland or France by the pipe makers, and all do much better when the humidity in my house is at least 40-45% or more. They get pretty fussy when it gets down to 20% or less. There is always an hygrometer and an humidifier in my practice room!
So as long as I give my reed the moisture it needs, it should last me a while?
Maybe, maybe not. But don’t tempt fate. Treat it well!
After a storm it cooled down very much! So it seems to like to play at cool temperatures, with much humidity!