diff --git a/include/everett/active_engine.h b/include/everett/active_engine.h
index c764f1e..9dc3bef 100644
--- a/include/everett/active_engine.h
+++ b/include/everett/active_engine.h
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ namespace everett {
   // streamed records; byte registries retain their byte-aligned transport.
   // Both run the redundant scheduler and charge service at admission. The
   // single optional-string sort also rebuilds obsolete history as it shrinks.
-  template <class P = storage_policy<>> struct active_engine : active_detail::engine<P> {
+  template <class P = string_policy> struct active_engine : active_detail::engine<P> {
     using base_type = active_detail::engine<P>;
     using world_type = typename base_type::world_type;
     using metadata_type = typename base_type::metadata_type;
diff --git a/include/everett/multiverse.h b/include/everett/multiverse.h
index 14a1129..200c201 100644
--- a/include/everett/multiverse.h
+++ b/include/everett/multiverse.h
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ namespace everett {
   // sealing creates immutable files under caller-reserved identities. The
   // optional SQLite catalog owns persistent roots and reservations separately.
   // Files/slices retain their mappings independently of this path holder.
-  template <class P = storage_policy<>> struct multiverse {
+  template <class P = string_policy> struct multiverse {
     using policy_type = P;
     using registry_type = typename P::registry_type;
     using sort = everett::sort<P>;
diff --git a/include/everett/policy.h b/include/everett/policy.h
index de02dbd..510df4e 100644
--- a/include/everett/policy.h
+++ b/include/everett/policy.h
@@ -72,8 +72,8 @@ namespace everett {
     static constexpr std::optional<std::uint64_t> value_width = registry::value_width;
   };
 
-  // Explicit bit-addressed string tables leave one subtree for future sorts.
-  // Ordinary string tables use the byte-addressed storage_policy<> default.
+  // The ordinary string table uses bit addressing and leaves one subtree for
+  // future sorts. Its sampling and count-code defaults need no tuning.
   using string_registry = bin<tip<unsorted<std::optional<std::string>>>, sort_undefined>;
   using string_policy = storage_policy<string_registry>;
 }
diff --git a/include/everett/replacement_rebuild.h b/include/everett/replacement_rebuild.h
index e162004..668cdb0 100644
--- a/include/everett/replacement_rebuild.h
+++ b/include/everett/replacement_rebuild.h
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ namespace everett {
     bool operator==(replacement_metadata const &) const = default;
   };
 
-  template <class P = storage_policy<>, class A = wrapping_fingerprint_algebra,
+  template <class P = string_policy, class A = wrapping_fingerprint_algebra,
     class Family = redundant_runtime_family<P>>
   struct replacement_world : typed_world<P, A, Family> {
     using base_type = typed_world<P, A, Family>;
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ namespace everett {
   // sort supplies clean(key,state)->arrow; the default optional-string sort
   // already represents a clean state with the same replacement arrow.
   // Budgets are structural allowances, not byte counts or elapsed time.
-  template <class P = storage_policy<>, class A = wrapping_fingerprint_algebra,
+  template <class P = string_policy, class A = wrapping_fingerprint_algebra,
     std::uint64_t DepthLimit = 256, class Family = redundant_runtime_family<P>>
   struct replacement_rebuild_engine {
     using policy_type = P;
diff --git a/include/everett/typed_world.h b/include/everett/typed_world.h
index 5d7d1b1..afe30c5 100644
--- a/include/everett/typed_world.h
+++ b/include/everett/typed_world.h
@@ -218,7 +218,7 @@ namespace everett {
   template <class P, class A, std::uint64_t DepthLimit, class Family> struct typed_engine;
   template <class P, class A, std::uint64_t DepthLimit, class Family> struct replacement_rebuild_engine;
 
-  template <class P = storage_policy<>, class A = wrapping_fingerprint_algebra,
+  template <class P = string_policy, class A = wrapping_fingerprint_algebra,
     class Family = binary_runtime_family<P>> struct typed_world {
     using policy_type = P;
     using metadata_type = typed_world_metadata<A>;
@@ -401,7 +401,7 @@ namespace everett {
   // DepthLimit bounds the main-chain nodes of every imported or published
   // root, including routing ancestors. It is enforced support, not an inferred
   // COLA theorem, and bounds the allowance for ready singleton admissions.
-  template <class P = storage_policy<>, class A = wrapping_fingerprint_algebra, std::uint64_t DepthLimit = 256,
+  template <class P = string_policy, class A = wrapping_fingerprint_algebra, std::uint64_t DepthLimit = 256,
     class Family = binary_runtime_family<P>>
   struct typed_engine {
     using policy_type = P;