First off, forget all the old stereo types you might have heard about bamboo rods being heavy, slow buggy whips. Modern rod tapers, glues, & construction techniques allow us to do all kinds of things with bamboo today. Because of these developments in design & construction, a bamboo fly rod can be made with just about any type of character or action that you can imagine. There are very few, if any, limitations to bamboo as a rod material these days. In other words, as you begin your search for your first bamboo fly rod, don't worry about bamboo not being able to do what you want it to do.
Narrow your choices in rods by deciding how you'll use the rod: where, how, type of fish you'll be catching, etc. Then you'll know exactly how you want the rod to perform. If you need help deciding these things, contact a rod maker. A good rd maker will be more than willing to answer your questions & help you decide what you want in a rod.
Cast as many bamboo rods as you can. Go to sporting shows & fly shops & ask to wiggle a few different bamboo rods. Do some research on the internet & ask other anglers what they thinks about bamboo fly rods. The more input you can get, the better. Keep in mind that bamboo is a natural material. No two rods will ever be exactly the same - even production rods of the same make & model.
There's two main routes to go when buying your first bamboo fly rod:
1.) But a used rod, either production or by an individual maker, based on your budget.
2.) Employ a rod maker.
If you know that you're going to eventually have a rod made for you someday, then it makes sense & it's cheaper in the long run to wait until you've decided on a particular maker for your first rod. Ultimately this is the best way to go. Remember, having a custom rod made for you is more than just having your name written on the rod. A rod maker can tweak a rod taper for the rod to do exactly what you want it to do. To hire a rod maker, it's worth the wait.
Most rod makers offer different levels of rods at different prices. This means that in many cases, you can have a rod made for you to meet your needs at a cost the same as (or less than) some used upper-end production rods.
So when choosing your first bamboo fly rod educate yourself. Don't be afraid to ask questions - even if you think they're dumb. Contact as many rod makers as you can , ask them all your questions, & compare their answers. Finally read about bamboo rods. Here is a short list of books I feel will help you learn more about bamboo rods & give you an idea of how to go about finding your first bamboo fly rod.
1.)"Fishing Bamboo" by John Gierach.
2.) "Splitting Cane" by Ed Engle.
3.) "Casting A Spell" by George Black.