Jim:

I'd be very careful about buying a low cost bamboo rod on ebay. If it is not being bid up, there is usuallly a reason. That isn't to say you couldn't pick up a usable rod, but you might very well be disappointed in how it feels in action because it turns out to be a not-too-spiffily tapered mass produced rod. (An old three piece 9 ft production rod for, say, DT6 line at minmum is very apt to feel like a cudgel compared to the lighter more modern graphite rods to may be familiar with.)