The Bespeco VM18LU is a universal expression pedal: a rocker pedal you connect to an effects device to control a parameter with your foot, such as volume, or the sweep of a wah or delay effect on a multi-effects pedal. Bespeco lists it in its volume and expression pedal category, and describes it as a universal expression pedal12.
Because it is passive, it draws nothing from a power supply: the pedal works by varying a 20 Kohm potentiometer as you rock it2. That also means there is no battery or adapter to worry about, only the cable to the device it controls.
What it does
An expression pedal does not make sound of its own. It plugs into the expression input of a device, such as a multi-effects pedal, a keyboard or a rack unit, and the device reads the pedal's position and applies it to a parameter. Rock the pedal forward for more of the effect, back for less, and your hands stay on the guitar.
The VM18LU is built for that job as a universal unit, meaning it is made to work with a range of devices rather than one maker's gear. Two switches on the pedal handle the compatibility work2:
- A rotation inverter switch, which reverses the direction of the sweep so that toe-down can mean either more or less of the chosen parameter, whichever the connected device expects2.
- A TIP/RING inverter switch, which swaps the two signal connections on the stereo plug. Devices differ in which part of the plug carries the pedal's signal, and this switch matches the pedal to the device without rewiring2.
Bespeco describes these as a "double switch for rotation inverter and TIP/RING inverter"2. Between them, the two switches cover the two most common reasons an expression pedal will not respond correctly with a given device, which is what makes the pedal universal in practice.
Design and connection
The pedal has an ABS body with a metal shielded base and non-slip feet, so it stays put underfoot on a hard floor2. The connection is fixed: a 2 m cable ending in a 6.3 mm stereo jack plug, which is the standard plug for expression inputs2. There is no input jack for your guitar; the VM18LU is not a volume pedal you put in your signal chain, it is a controller for another device's expression input.
Its dimensions, 86 x 198 mm, put it in the compact range of rocker pedals, small enough for a crowded pedalboard or a keyboard rig2.
The VM18LU connects with a stereo jack plug and carries no audio of its own. It is for expression inputs, not for placing in line with your guitar signal.
Where it sits
Bespeco also makes smaller expression pedals in the same family, such as the Bespeco VM13ZUM. If you are comparing expression pedals, the VM18LU's switches are the feature to weigh: a pedal without a TIP/RING inverter may need a special cable to work with some devices, while the VM18LU can be matched with a flick of a switch2. For a wider look at how these pedals work and what to match them to, see the site's page on expression pedals.
Sources (2)
- Bespeco - VM18LU - Pedale di espressione universale, Bespeco, 2026
- VM18LU - Universal Expression Pedal - Bespeco, Bespeco, 2026
