I've read the sticky links, did a couple of lame searches over the general TalkBass forums, and have not found exactly what I want (if even such a thing exists).

Is there any publication/book out there that talks specifically about the scales that play over certain chords...like "scale X works well over chord Y because of reasons a, b, and c".

And perhaps vice versa. In any event, I suppose if I go and start at the beginning of music theory, and study till I get to the end, I will eventually get there, but I would like to cut to the quick, if possible.

This isn't a clear cut answer, there is no "this scale always goes with this chord" because almost every scale can be played in a different key.

I suggest learning the nashville numbers system and start learning some basic scales and practice them in all the keys.

Cutting to the quick is a waste of time. It's like getting the answers for a test, you still don't why they are the answers.

There are the simple choices based on harmonized scales and modes. Then hipper choices that players tend to use as default or starting point. Then truly knowing scales the chord built from the root of scale and the color tones available. It's a building process as you learn theory you learn the simple, practice it, and then learn more. There are about 100 chords and the scales and arp's that go with them so don't be in a rush.

Get some Aebersold CD's and there's usually suggested scales to play over particular chords.

standard chords (like an Am or C) are built out of 3 notes called a triad. These are the 1st, 3rd and 5th notes of the scales so for the Am Chord (A,C,E) these notes are taken straight out of the A Aeolian (natural minor) scale (A b C d E f g). Same for the C: Chord is C,E,G, C Iolian (major) Scale is C d E f G a b.

As long as those 3 line up you can use arious scales for example an A dorian (A, B, C, D, E, F#, G) still has the Aminor triad. so can be used under an a minor.

What we tend to do is have a ket signiture for a song (or at least part of a song) although this idea is lost on some people. so if we're in C major you can use a different chord for each note of the scale and each corosponds to a mode. so when the tonic/root note is C the 2nd is D, 3rd is E etc. we use the following scales

C Ionian - major
D Dorian - Minor, #6
E Phrigian - Minor, b2 (is that how you spell it??)
F Lydian - Major, #4
G Myolydian - Major b7, Dom 7 - this is your G7 Chord
A Aeolian - Natural Minor
B Locrian - Half diminished - minor, b2, b5

So if your in A minor you use the same since A minor can also be a mode of C major, similarly E minor is to G major.

Just move this around to suit your song....until you get into harmonic minors!!!!

Oh almost forgot 7ths

If you see a chord labelled Am7, G7 or Cmaj7 (keeping all in the same key) that means the chord adds on an extra note, the 7th. so now your amin chord becomes amin7(a,c,e,g). thse chords can be used over Aeolian, Dorian and Phrygian scales.

G7 is a dominant 7th chord meaning it has a major 3rd and a minor (flat) 7th.

Cmaj7 has a major 7th strangley enough and fits the iolian and lydian scales.

But there's stil more you can add other notes such as 6ths, 9th (which is the second an octave up)

note that G9 is not the same as Gadd9 nor Gmaj9
G9 is dominant7 + 9 (G,B,D,F,A)
Gadd9 is a G+9 (G,B,D,A)
Gmaj9 is a maj7 +9 (G,B,D,F#,A)

Thats enough for now i think.

If you need more help or this needs more explaining you can PM me and i'll help where I can

Thanks all! Basslyon, your fingers must be hurtin! Thanks. I suspect then the consensus is there is no short cut (no problem, I am actually after an entire theory education...formally self taught that is) and doing the homework pays off better than a short cut.
However, if there is no book or whatever that lists chords and scales to play over them, then perhaps I will write one after I figure a few thousand out!

The first thing you should be aware of is that which chord fits which scale and visa versa is a matter of opinion and paradigm. Where one person might assume one chord fits with one scale another might assume something different. Also that different contexts might result in different applications. For example someone might play a half-whole diminished scale or a superlocrian over a dominant chord, where someone else might just stick with mixolydian. One way of thinking you might look into is George Russel's lydian dominant theory. Also Ornette Coleman's harmelodic theory addresses this kind of thing too.