Buying mail order is considerably less of a lottery if you deal with a retailer you know to be reputable - my Martins were purchased from My Favorite Guitars in Naples, Florida, and all are stellar-sounding examples. The proprietor, Jon Garon, deals with customers himself, and is a very highly respected Martin retailer with a fantastic reputation. In all cases, I called him, spoke to him personally, discussed my requirements, and received exactly what I requested.

It doesn't have to be a lottery, it just takes a bit of effort and building a relationship with the dealer.