I got a new yoyo today and a bunch of strings with it and in the tutorial on this site it says that the string should be a certain length. If the string is too long is that a big deal?
It is! I recently went through the process of finding a good string length for me. I had been spinning on YYE string, which is quite short. I picked up some toxic string which comes very very long, I loved it! It felt so much freer and easier. I read some posts on here about string length and decided to try shortening between it and the one I started with, and I suddenly got way better. Everything was easier. My understanding is that you want as short a string as is comfortable to still do all your tricks with. And that everyone likes it at different lengths, you may want it longer, who knows 
Play with it and see where you like it, but definitely try many different string lengths.
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Not really, but long string binds easier and is good for tech and trick binds, whereas short string makes yo play faster, smoother, and with more accuracy.
Depends on playing style if your more flowey, smooth and technical your gonna want longer string for multiple string wraps and things of that nature so you can get all dem awesome tricks in and if your fast short string helps you zing up and down dat string like Hiroyuki Suzuki ( except not ) but it will help tremendously
When starting out, it’s best to keep the string around the “right length”. This allows you to develop skills and get used to how to properly play with a yoyo.
With the string too long, you will find the yoyo can play slow and it can be harder to land. Movements have to be exaggerated a bit to perform things. You also risk losing control of the yoyo, which usually isn’t too bad. The biggest risk is bashing your yoyo on the ground.
Too short and you have things perhaps going too fast for now. Or just not enough string to perform the tricks you want to perform.
After you feel comfortable with things in general, that’s the time to mess around with string lengths. It seems the competing performers use strings longer than the recommended length. There are simple tricks one can do to shorten a string temporarily that can be let out as desired or needed.
I’m now shortening most of my strings to close to the proper length. I find about on a dead hang, about an inch above my belly button is the ideal place to pinch and make the loop from there.
Keep in mind that yoyo is extremely subjective and preferences based. We have options on nearly everything. We have choices of metals, shapes, weight distribution, bearings, strings and more. Starting out, as long as you have a quality yoyo, you’re good. Later on, feel free to experiment with anything you can. String length is an easy thing to mess around with.
It really depends on how tall you are. A guy that’s 6’3" could comfortably perform technical tricks at belly button length. I’m 5’10", and I tie my knot about 3 or 4 inches above my belly button. I have seen some younger (and much shorter) players run their string at dang near chest height.
Right, which illustrates that actual string length is more important than “relative” string length. I’m going to steal NathanC’s words again and point out that the yoyo doesn’t care how tall you are. There are two or more fixed points in most tricks (NTH, TH), a tether, and a spinning weight attached to the tether. That’s the entire system. Your arm length or body height don’t explicitly factor in.
That said, it is true that if you’re short and the string is chest height, you’re going to run into interesting hurdles with the mechanics of throwing. And although most tricks don’t require you to extend your arms, if you ARE tall with long arms you will inevitably feel more “cramped” during arm involved tricks or tricks in which shorter-armed people can fully extend their arms.
But you could execute them. 
Long string just seems too sloppy for me, but short string has no room for tech tricks. My ideal length is like jamesmay said like 3 or 4 inches above my belly button, but you just have to try and see what fits you. So go try!
I like string about 1-3 inches above my belly button. Any longer and the string is too awkward and moves slow, or i hit the ground on breakaways