Bespeco VM13ZUM

The Bespeco VM13ZUM is a combined volume and expression pedal: one unit that sits in your guitar's signal path to control level, and also connects to the expression input of an effects device so your foot can sweep a parameter such as delay time or reverb mix. Bespeco describes it as an "ABS Volume / Expression combo pedal with metal shielded base and non-slip feet"¹. It belongs to the same family as other volume pedals, but the built-in expression output means it can do the work of two pedals on a crowded board.

Controls and jacks

The pedal has one control and two connections, and the two jobs are kept separate¹²:

The minimum regulation control is worth understanding before you play a gig. On a plain volume pedal, rocking the pedal all the way back silences the guitar. On the VM13ZUM, the minimum setting lets you choose a floor level instead, so the heel position drops to a set volume rather than to nothing. Bespeco lists this control as a "Minimum regulations POT 100 Kohm"¹, and the Italian-language page describes it as a "Potenziomentro regolazione minimo 100 Kohm"².

The 100 Kohm impedance of the pot is the value Bespeco gives for the pedal¹. Impedance matters for how the pedal loads your guitar's pickups: a volume pedal's pot value is chosen to suit the instruments and signal level it will sit behind, and 100 Kohm is a common value for pedals intended to sit after a buffered or low-impedance source. If you run the pedal in front of fuzz or other gain pedals, the interaction between the pot and the pedals after it shapes how the sweep feels.

Using it as an expression pedal

The expression side works differently from the volume side. Instead of carrying your guitar's signal, the expression connection sends a control signal to a compatible device: you plug the supplied 2 m stereo cable from the pedal's expression socket into the expression input of a multi-effects unit, modeler or other device that accepts a passive expression pedal. Bespeco describes the connection as "Input, output ø6,3 mm stereo jack socket, 2m cable with ø6,3 mm jack stereo plug"¹. The Italian-language page for the same product words it slightly differently, as "Ingresso-uscita presa jack stereo Ø6.3 mm"¹²; the two descriptions agree that it is a stereo jack connection, and the sources differ on the exact wording of the input-output arrangement.

Size and placement

Bespeco gives the pedal's depth as 198 mm¹, and it is compact for a pedal you operate with your foot. The metal shielded base and non-slip feet are there to keep it planted on a hard floor or a pedalboard¹. Because it combines two functions, it can replace a separate expression pedal and a separate volume pedal, which is where the compact housing earns its place on a board.

Questions