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Developing a thick, tapering trunk in Ginkgo is difficult, because they grow slowly and do not heal wounds well. This eliminates the possibility of chopping older material, creating large wounds and expecting (hoping it might heal well)

The choices then are to layer older material with promising characteristics (ginkgo layers easily) or to apply cutbacks to younger material, which still has the capacity to heal.

In field growing, you can promote the growth of multiple basal shoots by a process called stooling, commonly used for propagation. After heading back the plant, the trunk is buried under a mound of soil. Multiple adventitious buds develop all over the plant in the next couple of years. Later, the mound is uncovered and the well-placed branches are selected and developed.

This is just one method, and I will say again that what you need to do depends on what you have, and where you want to go, with it. If you can post a picture, I'm sure you'll get more specific help.

Regards,

Matt