Most, but not all, of the songs on Sticky Fingers have excellent guitar work. I think it was a combination of the group trying to highlight Mick Taylor (which didn't work out anyway), and maybe Taylor forcing Keith Richards to be better. Whatever it was, that was an exceptional album, and I think the best they've done. Exile was really good as well. After that I felt they were losing their focus.
I'll sometimes dismiss Richards as a guitarist until I listen to the work of most other groups, and then realize that despite his weirdness, he is a really good player. He's been ranked in the top ten rock guitarists for years, so I guess I'm not the only one who thinks that way.