Anyone around you from whom you could borrow a likely string and work from there? I would think the string would be in the neighborhood of 3" less than the bow length. Even if you find one and it braces at 8 1/2", you could then measure that string and order one 1" shorter. Or if there is an archery shop nearby, they could probably fit you up with one. Even if it isn't the string you would like to have, you would then have a benchmark for the cost of $8 or $9. I have a recurve that is supposed to be 60", but it really takes a 57" string.