Bladepeek, move over on that soapbox. I'm sure there's room there for two.I totally agree with you. A standard would be nice. That being said, if you want to use the AMO standard it is NOT based on bow length. It is based on string length. The bowyer determines the proper string length to brace the bow correctly, then adds 3". Not 3 for recurve and 4 for long bow. You don't measure the bow, mark it and then determine the proper string length. Custom bows, custom strings? Sure. The bow just needs to be marked 3" longer than that custom string (AMO standard). This would be VERY easy to standardize if we wanted to. All is takes is a desire to do so. All of that being said, why did AMO feel the need to add 3"? Why couldn't a 54" bow take a 54" string? The length of the bow itself doesn't really matter. It's the strings that we have to buy repeatedly. Personally, I believe a better standard would be to just mark the bow with the length of string RECOMMENDED by the bowyer. I'm not suggesting that the bowyer doesn't know what length of string his bow SHOULD use, only that once it's my bow, I can put whatever length string I want on it. BUT, if I use other than the recommended length string I have just given up the right to complain if it's noisy or inefficient . The AMO standard of 3" and the rule of thumb for 3" or 4" depending on whether it's a long bow or recurve and bows marked with NTN length (but not marked NTN) have made this a VERY CONFUSING issue. A standard, ANY standard would be very nice.