A disk drive thin-film write head structure has a pole tip structure with reduced susceptibility to corrosion. The write head has a first ferromagnetic pole tip that includes a pedestal pole layer and a capping layer on the pedestal pole layer. The capping layer has an extension and the write gap is located between the capping layer extension and the second pole tip. Substantially the entire thickness of the pedestal pole layer is formed of a lower-moment alloy and the capping layer is formed of a higher-moment alloy and is made thick enough to compensate for the lower-moment alloy in the pedestal pole layer. The pedestal pole layer may be a bilayer of two different alloys with the upper layer in the bilayer having a higher moment. The width of the pedestal pole layer is substantially reduced to reduce the pole tip area exposed. The reduced pole tip area and the increased use of lower-moment alloys enable a thinner protective film to be used to protect the pole tips from corrosion.