The Magic City Delay is a compact delay pedal from Swindler Effects, a builder whose product pages describe it in plain terms: "Dark, lush repeats are the name of the game." The pedal is voiced like an old-school analog delay, with repeats that get darker and take on tape-like artifacts as the delay time stretches out. What sets it apart from most analog-style delays is its feature set: onboard tap tempo, three tap divisions, and tap in / tap out functionality, all in what the maker calls "a tiny, glorious footprint"1.
Pedal of the Day reviewed the pedal in October 2016 and heard the same character: "This thing screams old school analog delay, with big, bold, luscious and dark repeats throughout"2.
Both the original Signature version and the V2 of the Magic City Delay are listed as unavailable on the Swindler Effects store as of 202613. Players looking for one will likely be searching the used market.
The controls
The Magic City Delay keeps its control set to four knobs: Repeats, Mix, Time, and Filter1. Pedal of the Day noted that Repeats, Mix, and Time "all function just as they do on your average delay pedal," which makes the pedal quick to dial in for anyone who has used a delay before2.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Repeats | Sets the number of repeats, as on a typical delay pedal2 |
| Time | Sets the delay time, as on a typical delay pedal2 |
| Mix | Balances the dry and wet signal1 |
| Filter | Alters the tone of the repeats and filters the tape-like artifacts in or out1 |
The Filter knob is the control that gives the pedal its personality. Swindler Effects describes it as a unique control that "can be used to alter the overall tone of the repeats, as well as filter in or out the tape-like artifacts" produced at longer delay times1. In practice, that means one knob does two related jobs: it darkens or brightens the repeats, and it decides whether those tape-like degradations at long delay settings stay in the sound or get cleaned away. Pedal of the Day described the same behavior in its review2.
Tap tempo and divisions
The left soft switch is an onboard tap tempo switch, which Pedal of the Day called something "you really can't beat" having on the pedal itself, while the right soft switch controls the bypass2. Alongside tap tempo, the pedal offers tap in / tap out functionality, so it can share tempo information with other tap-equipped pedals rather than acting as an island on the board1.
A 3-way Tap Division switch toggles between the three divisions1:
- Quarter
- Dotted Eighth
- Eighth Note1
Those three cover the most common rhythmic delay uses, from straightforward quarter-note repeats to the dotted-eighth setting favored for cascading, ambient-style lines.
The V2 and the Functionalist Series edition
The Magic City Delay has appeared in more than one form. The V2 carries updates over the original, including a reduced effect noise floor3. Its control set and tap division options are otherwise the same as the Signature version: Repeats, Mix, Time, and Filter, plus the same three tap divisions3. The V2 has its own page, Swindle Effects Magic City Delay V2, and it is also listed as unavailable3.
There was also a Functionalist Series edition, a limited run reviewed by Pedal of the Day on October 26, 2016. The Functionalist Design Series is "sleek and minimal," a design approach the review connected to the pedal's visual identity, and the edition "contains the exact same circuitry as our Signature Design Series," so the difference was cosmetic rather than sonic2.
What reviewers said
Pedal of the Day's 2016 review was positive on both build and sound, summing the pedal up as2:
"Full of easy user controls, fat delay tones and high-quality components, this is one slick looking and sounding delay pedal"2
The same review noted that the pedal "comes with a price tag that is waaaaay lower than most delays you find with these types of options," meaning tap tempo and multiple divisions, though no specific price figure was given2.
Videos
shnobel
Pedal of the Day
Backwoods Guitar LLC
Questions
Does the Magic City Delay have tap tempo?
Yes. The pedal has an onboard tap tempo switch, a soft touch footswitch on the left side of the enclosure, with the bypass switch on the right. It also offers tap in and tap out functionality, so it can sync with other tap-equipped gear.
What does the Filter knob do on the Magic City Delay?
The Filter control alters the overall tone of the repeats, making them darker or brighter. It also filters in or out the tape-like artifacts the pedal produces at longer delay times, so you can either embrace those artifacts or clean them up.
What tap divisions does the Magic City Delay offer?
A 3-way Tap Division switch toggles between Quarter, Dotted Eighth, and Eighth Note divisions. This covers the most common rhythmic delay settings, from even quarter-note repeats to the dotted-eighth pattern used for cascading ambient lines.
Is the Magic City Delay still available?
No. Swindler Effects lists both the original Signature version and the V2 of the Magic City Delay as unavailable on its store pages as of 2026. The V2 carried updates over the original, including a reduced effect noise floor.
Sources (3)
- Magic City Delay, Swindle Effects, 2026
- Swindler Effects Magic City Delay (Functionalist Series), Pedal of the Day, 2016-10-26
- Magic City Delay, Swindle Effects, 2026
