What a nice find at your new house! There is a nice video on you tube about Pruning figs trees at this link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=alO4VYPPWCo

You can shape them however you like, the key is they grow shoots out of the nodes so wherever you see a little node, that's where a shoot will come from. The last node on a limb will usually push the new growth after pruning so you can use that to guide you in where you want a limb to grow and what direction. Typically ppl leave outward facing nodes as the last node so the tree develops a spreading habit which allows air and sun into the middle more to ripen fruits and avoid mold, etc. also keeps fruit reachable.
Good luck and email me if you have extra cuttings after u prune, I'd love some! Have a great day!
Timothy

It is better to wait for next year for pruning, old fig trees, maybe you will find something special.

Ptrosss, Contact Bass (http://www.treesofjoy.com ) ,he is figs hunter and introduced many figs cultivar to the trade.
I contacted him twice ,but without responce.

Ptrosss, I'm in upstate SC also. Near Fountain Inn.

I have an overgrown fig tree that was on the property when my parents bought the place in 1979, the house was built in the 60's also.

After my parents died I bought out my 4 brothers portion of the land and house. My Dad never trimmed it and wouldn't let me trim it. He was afraid that it would die.

It was about 30' tall and 40' wide with lots of "new" trees sprouting up from where the lower limbs touched the ground and set roots.

In Dec. of 2012, after a little reading and some advise from folks on this forum I decided to break out the chainsaw and just go at it! It took me about 12 hours of cutting and untangling the limbs.

It came back with a vengeance! It put out new limbs everywhere and produced more figs that it has ever produced last summer!

I have never fertilized it and I don't really think it is necessary, from the looks of your tree I think that you can do the same.

I hope the figs were good! Do you know what variety of dig tree it is? I wish I had the same problem, my trees are all young.

No Terry, I don't know the variety for sure, but I think it is a brown turkey.

They are very good! The birds and bees love them too, but there is enough for all of us!

I wish I had that problem (overgrowth). Most of my fig trees are small. I used to have one about ten feet tall. it Gave me lots of green colored figs for about 8 years. Then, it started to die. I salvaged some cuttings and planted them around the house. I believe this fig is an Alma fig. Within the last few months I have bought and just planted the following varieties: Brown Turkey, Texas Overbearing, Black Mission, Sierra (new variety), plus two varieties that I bought at a flea market with no name. I want to get a Texas Blue Giant next, but I can't find it in my area. I' m willing to trade cutting with someone who has a variety that produces large fruit. Happy figging :-).

Thanks so much for all the responses! I will put your suggestions into use very soon.

It would be best to cut 2/3 limbs per year to the ground. Now is the best time to do that. Keep the new sprouts at a manageable height. Make some 8" tip cuttings off what you have cut back to root