I'd start with Mario Bava's Blood and Black Lace which is one of the earliest, most influential gialli, but incredibly accessible (and The Girl Who Knew Too Much if you want a real starting point). Also Bay of Blood (aka Twitch of the Death Nerve) is great fun. Also check out some Argento: The Bird with the Crystal Plumage, Profondo Rosso and Tenebre; Sergio Martino's All the Colours of the Dark, The Strange Vice of Mrs. Wardh and Torso and Lucio Fulci's A Lizard in a Woman's Skin and Don't Torture a Duckling.
I'd say they're all good starting points, and each will give you a flavour of the director's style and aesthetic. I'm particularly a fan of Sergio Martino's light-hearted gialli, especially those starring George Hilton and Edwige Fenech.
There's tons of great directors/gialli, but those are a few nice starting points off the top of my head.
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