The ring photo in the post above, on the right, shows a bar above the ring that has holes in it.  
I’m also wondering about the empty gap below the ring, between the ring and the rim..?  Replaced ring, not well fitted, normal, or ?

Both banjos have nice bookmatched resonator backs.

Rockyjo

One more…

That's a Tu Ba Phone style tone ring (Vega/Fairbanks) but it looks like it's in an Asian made Vega copy banjo.

And that gap below the bottom edge of the tone ring is how Vega installed them, suspended just slightly above the rim, I don't know the spec for that gap, yours looks like maybe 1/16"? There are places where Vega's specs for Tu Ba Phone tone ring fit were shown to the public. I remember seeing them in old Stewart MacDonald catalogs, for people building their own from Stew-Mac parts.

Whatever the gap measures, it should be consistent all the way around.

The first 2 pictures I uploaded are of 2 identical banjos—Except for they appear to have different tone rings (and one has an aftermarket mic attachment).

The second photo shows that banjo’s ring has a metal bar on top of the holed part of the ring, the first one has no metal bar. (Second one also has the open wood gap below it.)

I think @The Old Timer is saying the second photo is a tubaphone ring.

What style is the ring in first one that Vega used? (It’s narrow, so it doesn’t look like a “standard” ring to me.)

Also, the photos showing the whole banjo are what both banjos look like.

Does anyone know what the model name(s) is/are for these banjos?

Does the empty gap between the ring and rim in the second photo have a purpose? Or was it thought to have a purpose when designed/marketed?

The banjo in the second photo is mine and I tracked down it was made in 1978 and one of the last ones made in the US, or possibly Canada.

Does anyone have the last catalog that was made that shows the 1978s?

Thanks, @The Old Timer. Maybe mikehalloran will add his thoughts.

Correction: @mikehalloran 

Anyone have a Vega that is this model?

---

Rockyjo