Menzel studied lutherie with the famous Carleen Hutchins of Montclair, New Jersey, whose works can be seen at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. He was also the Secretary of the Catgut Acoustical Society for twenty-five years.
Richard was widely known for honesty and integrity in his business dealings. He opposed widespread use of teacher kickbacks and commissions that can add up to six hundred percent to the price of an instrument. For Richard Menzel, ethics came first, and he never buckled to the constant pressure from teachers and schools. In this, he stood alone. He passed away on May, 21, 2000. When his daughter Mo arrived here from Texas to manage Menzel Violins, she made sure she had a large supply of quality instruments that were priced fairly and not illegally inflated from kickbacks and commissions to teachers.
Mo Menzel now continues his tradition of honesty and integrity.
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