Hendrick guitars was founded by Kurt Hendrick. Hendrick had studied at the Roberto Venn School of luthiery but left early to work as an instrument repairer in the early 1980s in Tennessee and Houston. In 1982 Hendrick made guitars for Billy Gibbons and Willie Nelson, while still working his day job as a repairer in Houston. In 1983 Hendrick moved to Ohio and attempted to start mass production of his own guitars but was unsuccessful initially. He then contracted out production to a group of guitar makers in Kalamazoo (who would later form the Heritage company). Although there was positive publicity at the time Hendrick's inexperience in the business side of things meant that the company never really got going properly and only around 100 guitars were made.

Source: Hendrick catalog 1984

Source: Vintage Guitar Magazine. Kurt Hendrick History of the Mystery. By Willie G. Moseley