A 64" Polar is not a 1961 Polar. There has been a misunderstanding for decades about this, but Wade Phillips, with a little prompting from me settled the issue last year. It used to be said that 64" Polars with white limbs and Bubinga risers were early 61 Polars, and that the 66" Polar with ice blue limbs and bubinga risers were later 61 Polars. That left 1960 with no Polar model if its own. People solved that by saying that the 59 Polar was actually a 59/60 Polar, the same model in both years.
It just didn't make sense. Fred Bear was very attentive to following the auto industry model, of introducing a new model each year. The 59 Polar was called a semi-recurve, or what we now would call a hybrid longbow. The 64" Polar that used to be called an early 61, is a an almost full recurve. The 66" Polar that used to be called a later 61 model, is a full recurve.
The confusion came from errors in catalogs. Which are ofte wrong.
Wade found an archery magazine from late 1959, with an article describing the new Polar made for 1960. It's the 64" Polar with white limbs.
So, now every year has its own Polar.
Doesn't answer the brace height question, but it may be good to know what year your bow was actually made and sold in.
I've had several 1960 Polars. They are great bows. I braced mine around 8 and a half inches. The tips are tiny but they are glass, and so plenty strong. Don't be afraid to go up in height, but let noise, or lack of it, be your guide. Every bow is different.
