Pete,
At the end of the season your VdB will have a rather nice shape.
When did you trim it for the first time (at the main junction, I assume)? It looks like 2 years ago?

igor, might have been two yrs ago. don't really remember and i don't keep journals.. i don't need no stinking journals :) but it must have been 2-3 yrs ago. the 3 main branches are the one that grew and i left on. i cut off the other branches, i think i cut 2-3 branches there to form sort of vase shape. then the new branch came straight up. i though about getting rid of it, then realized, i can have two tiers. so i left that to grow and branch out to the side. there is one more branch on the lower tier that i might keep or remove depends on how crowded it gets. 

compare to Paradiso Gene and Kathleen's Black, this one branches lot easier and easy to play with. and it's dwarf compare to them as far as growth is concerned. 

You ought to prune the top to remove the terminal bud. You can prune it down as far as you like, or you can air layer the upper stem to produce a new tree. That way you are guaranteed a successful new plant and you will allow the parent young tree to develop a better branch structure. Regardless of how much pruning you do, give the tree a heavy feeding of a high nitrogen fertilizer, or composted manure for an organic supplement in the spring. You should especially try to encourage the lower leaf nodes to grow out laterally. You want to strengthen the base of the trunk, so that the tree will be able to support the weight of fruit in the future.

Good point!
Let me do a major haircut over the weekend.
I will post pictures tomorrow or so, will see how badly I do :)

from a few examples, it seems that allowing the tree to break dormancy, and then pruning back causes more buds to then break dormancy. It is typical for the tip bud or the apical bud 9on a pruned branch) to break dormancy first, and maybe only. If the plant is actively growing, and then the apical shoot is removed, it may be that the advanced state of growth activity may force more buds to break than normal.

I've  started pinching young cuttings once they get to be about a foot tall to promote low branching...sort of trying to make them into mini trees so when they grow they will just be bigger versions of their mini selves.  Seems in my area, the figs grow so fast during summer, that young 2" node spacing quickly becomes 9-12" spacing. Would like to see the adult tree branch out at 2-3 feet from ground. Most of my adult trees now have branching at about 5 feet..kind of tall for my taste. Hoping early pinching will fix some of that (?) 

Any one experience problems with pinching plants when they are (too) young?

Igor, try tieing to a bamboo and slowly lean it over.. if it is on a pot, you can lean the pot a little and since they are apical plants, the tree will send out side branches...once formed you can either bring it to the upright or do what the japanese do... side branches will form if you lean the branch.. just do a little at the time. I had a few pots side ways here and they branched out, so now I can upright them again.

I make sure now that I cut the top at about 12" to 15" from the soil after letting it grow a few inches (couple of nodes) above this height. Some varieties branch out so nicely and few start just one branch again at the top that I cut again hoping for better branching.

Ottawan is correct: some varieties are more prone to branching, and others really want just a central leader with no side branches.

Greenfig
Greetings
You may consider the following option and because of the height of your plant you can set your own new record of multiple air-layers in one shot:
http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post/airlayeringgrafting-figs-5948986

Ottawan,

Thanks for an advise! That layering project looks impressive.
I have several fig trees that look rather identical to the one pictured (2 are seedlings). I will try different ways to deal with this overgrown population.
The good thing is they are quite thick at the base and I think I can be quite creative with a fix.

Since the question was raised, can anybody tell me if those varieties are more prone to branching or prefer the central leader:

Strawberry Verte
MBVS
Black Mission
Chicago Hardy
Golden Celeste
Stella

Thanks!

Ok, here you go. All of those guys were about 6 ft tall. They have started to push the leaves. Do not know if what I did is going to be better but shorter for sure.
Those were the cuttings started last year in February.
I use the black electrical tape to seal the cuts.
 
I like how the Japanese are doing, I will try to replicate their design.

There are plant hormones that are available that stimulate branching.  Usually they are foliar sprayed, not sure about how to apply to dormant plants.

Gibberellic acid is one, but I'm not certain if it is the most appropriate.  There are a number of Auxins, cytokins, etc available.

I'm with most everyone else, pinch/prune it.

If anybody wants cuttings for postage ($6), please PM me. I will honor the first 2 people.
I have:  ALL GONE!
Negronne
Marylane seedless
Golden Celeste
Bonita Verte Unk. (green with red center)

I will split the wood in 2 piles. you will get them all (unless you say hard no).

From what I have learned by reading and experimenting with my old and patient tree, the following is true: winter pruning estimulates vegetative growth, not necessarily fruit, You end up with a lot of skinny twigs that will not fruit, so, in mid spring, you have to go through again and trim those skinny branches to 2 nodes. the energy is then forced to making fruit, since you are in South Cal, the weather is on your side.

Soon it formed the brebas, allow 5 leaves to grow and pinch it, energy will be into making the main crop and new branching for the following year.  if you wish to reduce the size of the plant, you need to prune after the harvesting of the fruit...

That will force the plant to 'rethink its energy' and will grow slower.

Thanks, Grasa!
I still have a lot to learn :)