The banjo with the Whyte Laydie tone ring may have slightly brighter tone than the one with the simple brass tone ring, but it will have more sustain which I personally find is better for clawhammer chord playing and backup for singing. You can definitely adjust the tone of your banjo by changing bridges - thickness and style etc., string gauges and head tightness to get it where you like it. The player has everything to do with the sound you get - how hard and clear you attack the strings and if you use a fingernail, pick or whatever. Reiter banjos are generally quite good in quality. You need to try them, but keep in mind setup (sting height etc.)is often a thing that often has to be done on a new banjo to tailor it to your liking. You might also want to look up Donald Zepp at Zepp Country Music who is all knowing banjowise and usually has some nice banjos around at pretty fair prices.