A perpendicular magnetic recording (PMR) head is fabricated with a main pole shielded laterally by a pair of side shields, shielded above by a trailing shield and shielded optionally below by a leading shield. The shields and the seed layers on which they are formed are formed of materials having substantially the same physical characteristics including the same material composition, the same hardness, the same response to processes such as ion beam etching (IBE), chemical mechanical polishing (CMP), mechanical lapping, such as the slider ABS lapping, the same coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) as well as the same Bs. Optionally, the trailing shield may be formed on a high Bs seed layer to provide the write head with improved down-track performance.