By Mollee Francisco, Correspondent 

Chaska violin maker Tom Carlson took home fifth place in the Violin Makers Association
of Arizona International Competition last month. It was his best showing to date for one of his violins.

“We’re consistently improving,” he said. “I’m happy with it.”

The competition draws violin makers from all over the world. Carlson competed in the steel string violin category against 19 other violins. He equated the competition to the Olympics where the top performers often finish seconds or tenths of seconds apart.

“We finished in the top 25 percent,” he said. “That’s great.”

Carlson has been crafting violins in his home workshop since the 1980s. “It’s a lost art,” he said.

His quest is to create the perfect violin and he seems to be getting closer with each passing year.

“It’s taken a long time to get to this point,” he said. “The craft is very elusive. That’s why it’s so fascinating.”

To date, Carlson has made 39 violins. Though he has refused to sell any of his creations in the past, the hobbyist admitted he has begun to change his mind, mostly due to the quality of the product.

“I think we’ve got this pretty much figured out now,” he said.

Carlson plans to continue working toward the perfect violin. He’s already got his sights set on besting his fifth-place showing in next year’s competition.