The type of tonering is less important than what the banjo sounds like to you. I've played identical banjos with different sounds - one I might like, the other I might not. It's only you who can tell what you like. When I bought my best banjo, I bought one with no metal tone ring because it sounded so good it demanded that I buy it. It sounded far better than two "identical" banjos next to it.

If I were in your position, I wouldn't buy a $1000 banjo yet. It would be easy to spend that money and hate what you bought in a year's time. I'd buy something like the Deering Goodtime or a cheap old banjo which someone you trust has looked over as a starter banjo, which if you take care of it you could sell later without too much loss when you know enough about what banjos sound like to get a good upgrade. The Goodtime is well made for the price, with accurate fretting and a nice, predictable sound.

While you're learning on your starter, listen to lots of different clawhammer banjo music and learn what sound it is you're looking for. Listen to people like Dwight Diller (good instruction videos), Walt Koken, Reed Martin, Howie Bursen, Brad Leftwich, Bruce Molsky, Ken Perlman (excellent instruction books). Listen to the old guys who are no longer with us - Wade Ward, Tommy Jarrel, Hobart Smith, Clarence Ashley, Kyle Creed, Fred Cockerham, Lee Hammons.

Listening is the most important part of learning. Once a tune is in your head and you can hum it, playing it is far, far easier. Learning from TAB is OK as a start, so you can get some techniques together, but as you improve it's better to learn the tunes and work out your own way of playing them.

Join the Banjo-L mailing list and ask some questions. There are some real experts on there - you'll soon distinguish between them and the wannabees. They're a lovely bunch of players.

Make time for playing, and play often. Enjoy it.
Cheers
Ray