@ Symbol meaning

ADRawli

I may slap myself in the forehead for asking this, and I’m not sure if I’ve just missed it, or it’s so obvious that I can’t see it, but could someone fill me in on the significance of the “@“ usage in the T@B and T@G names?  In fact, now that I think more on it, where do the entirety of the T@B and T@G names  come from? I’ve been lurking around the forum for months, done tons of research on the products, and finally purchased my own T@B a week ago, but I’ve never thought to seek out and understand that little bit of NuCamp nomenclature.  Thanks in advance. 

jgram2

Quick! Someone make something up!

ScottG

That's the way they came from Europe, where the T@B was created and a version is still built by a variant of the original company, Tabbert.

T@Bs have an interesting history, but I've never seen a specific explanation of why the @ symbol was used in place of an A. Seems like it was just somebody's cutesy attention getting idea, and it stuck.

If anybody's got more info I'd love to hear it myself!

Verna

The “@“ in T@B started in Europe when Mr. Tabbert began producing the original T@B. It was a catchy gimmick that lives on today on both Europe and the US. 

(Truth—not made up.)

jgram2

Well, this is fun, although not addressing OP’s question at all.
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/the-accidental-history-of-the-symbol-18054936/

TerryV6

Well, you have to be inducted first at the secret ceremony.  A bonfire is lit, we gather round the new member and Verna the high priestess welcomes you into the group.  Then you will learn the secret handshake, greeting and the meaning of the "@"....  After that, you are required to feed us all from your cookstove....

pthomas745

I've always looked at it as a design in the middle of a generic word that transforms the word into a graphic. There are many examples of this in advertising.

Photomom

Because “Tab” and “Tag” are common words and can’t be trademarked. You’re welcome.

ScottG

Do these folks know that?

Tab Cola was introduced in 1963. Mr. Tabbert was already making caravans in Germany at that time, though I'm not sure exactly when or where the T@B name and logo was introduced. 

Perhaps the alternative spelling was to avoid conflict with Tab Cola, though this is dubious speculation as the some drink was apparently not distributed in Germany, nor does tab appear to be an actual word in German.

History buffs might also enjoy this discussion! 

Verna

Thanks for the lnk, @ScottG.

The referenced history article above is incorrect on the next to last paragraph. Pleasant Valley Teardrop Trailers purchased the manufacturing rights to the T@B, not LG. LG was the former marketing firm that is no longer associated with the manufacturing arm of nüCamp/Pleasant Valley Teardrops. 

DesertDweller

We need one of those "family trees" they use for the British Monarchy.

ADRawli

TerryV6 said:

Well, you have to be inducted first at the secret ceremony.  A bonfire is lit, we gather round the new member and Verna the high priestess welcomes you into the group.  Then you will learn the secret handshake, greeting and the meaning of the "@"....  After that, you are required to feed us all from your cookstove....

Now this is starting to make some sense... I’ll bet weird, teardrop shaped helmets and flowing, visor colored “robes” with strings of accent lights are to be worn as well. This could be really fun....we just need to add the proper NuCamp ch@nts and “off-the-grid” hymn@ls and we’ll be set. 

ScottG

Good point, @Verna, on a related note...

When they were associated with Little Guy, did Pleasant Valley Trailers (now nuCamp) also build the trailers that Little Guy had presumably had license to (such as the 5/6-wides, Silver Shadows, and MyPods)?

I am under the impression PV did build all of those, and that is why LG sought out their own manufacturing facility after the split. It looks like of all those other models only the MyPod is currently still in production.

Verna

Yes, ScottG, PV/nüCamp did manufacture the 4-, 5-, 6-wides, the Silver Shadow, and the MyPod. LG owns the rights to all of those. To the best of my knowledge, none are currently in production, including the MyPod. 

I have seen a used 2018 MyPod for sale, but the new models are manufactured beginning in the March/April timeframe of the previous year, so it could have been one of the last ones manufactured by PV/nüCamp. 

A bit more history on the PV/üCamp production of teardrops.....within 6 months of PV/pre nüCamp introducing the T@G teardrop, the one teardrop production line was then producing 85% of T@G’s. That means the T@G displaced 85% of the orders for the other models. The new T@G took over the teardrop manufacturing industry like a storm. The T@G is still a great money maker for nüCamp, as is the rest of their product line, and has as loyal of a following as the T@B’s do.

I started my tear dropping exactly 7 years ago today (March 21, 2012) in an LG 4’x8’ teardrop (full bed inside), bought a 5’x10’ Silver Shadow (queen bed with a “clamshell kitchen”), 14 months later, a T@B S Max 26 months later, and 3 years later I now have my T@B 400.  Over 50,000 miles on those 4 combined. I’m happy. 

klenger

@ADRawli The @ symbol is also handy for tagging someone in a post as I've done here. 

morey000

most people incorrectly pronounce the name as "tab".  but the correct way to say it is "tatb".  

Mouseketab

My dad says tab at

ADRawli

Thanks for all the interesting history and insights.  Sounds like it may not have been as obvious as I was afraid (forehead slap averted).  

ChanW

We went to the Tampa RV show in January?, and (pretty sure) I saw a MyPod at the Little Guy booth.... (That's the tiny one that could be pulled by a Harley, right?)

Verna said:

Yes, ScottG, PV/nüCamp did manufacture the 4-, 5-, 6-wides, the Silver Shadow, and the MyPod. LG owns the rights to all of those. To the best of my knowledge, none are currently in production, including the MyPod. 

I have seen a used 2018 MyPod for sale, but the new models are manufactured beginning in the March/April timeframe of the previous year, so it could have been one of the last ones manufactured by PV/nüCamp. 

A bit more history on the PV/üCamp production of teardrops.....within 6 months of PV/pre nüCamp introducing the T@G teardrop, the one teardrop production line was then producing 85% of T@G’s. That means the T@G displaced 85% of the orders for the other models. The new T@G took over the teardrop manufacturing industry like a storm. The T@G is still a great money maker for nüCamp, as is the rest of their product line, and has as loyal of a following as the T@B’s do.

I started my tear dropping exactly 7 years ago today (March 21, 2012) in an LG 4’x8’ teardrop (full bed inside), bought a 5’x10’ Silver Shadow (queen bed with a “clamshell kitchen”), 14 months later, a T@B S Max 26 months later, and 3 years later I now have my T@B 400.  Over 50,000 miles on those 4 combined. I’m happy. 

ScottG

The MyPod is still listed on the Little Guy web site, but all the other models seem to have been displaced by the Max models that are essentially T@B knock-offs. It's not surprising they went this route given the additional history Verna provided regarding the success of the T@G once it was introduced.

Maybe when the spirit moves me I'll update the history to reflect the changes that have occurred since it was first published.

manxtales

EEEEEE!  We pick up our T@B 400 BD Lite May 2nd, until then we will read all about the fun everyone is having and long for May 2nd!