I think it's better to add the pickups later, unless you are looking specifically for a stage guitar.
Some of the built-in pickups, such as the ones by Takamine and Cole Clark, sound very good. But then you have to factor the electronics into the price of the guitar as well. Usually, this means that you're getting less guitar for the money.
For the same price as a guitar with a built-in pickup, you can generally get a better guitar that doesn't have a pickup. This also allows you to choose your pickup system later on, replace it, mod it, etc. It's a lot more versatile. And with so many great pickups available on the market, you're bound to find something you like!
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