probably nothing. I just built my first wheel using straight gauge spokes in a long time, and it felt a lot more solid than the butted spokes I have been using. This is going back decades, but I think that I was just used to straight gauge and didn't like the feel of the butted spokes when I built the wheel. I agree with you, I wouldn't use galvanized now. Some things we're used to now weren't as economic back in the day.