A magnetic head is disclosed that has first and second substantially flat soft magnetic pole layers that are magnetically coupled together in a backgap region that is removed from the medium-facing surface; a soft magnetic pedestal having a leading edge and a trailing edge, the trailing edge adjoining the second pole layer adjacent to the medium-facing surface, the leading edge defining a throat area that is spaced from the first pole layer by a submicron nonferromagnetic gap and defining an apex area that is spaced from the first pole layer by a greater separation than the gap, the throat area meeting the apex area at a throat height; and a plurality of substantially parallel, electrically conductive sections disposed between the first and second pole layers, the conductive sections disposed in a single layer that is aligned along a plane that intersects the pedestal and the backgap region.