Sharp knife. Mince mince mince.

I use a crappy Ikea grater with small holes. No strings, no finger issues.

A lot of times I use my garlic press, which I guess produces more juice than pulp. But it usually works for me, at least because most of the recipes I use require more juice than pieces. Otherwise I just do a lot of choppity-chopping.

If you have a food processor then take 2 minutes and grate a whole pile of ginger. Put it all in a freezer bag, flatten it out as much as possible, freeze. Break off clumps when you need it.

If you don't have a food processor then just freeze the ginger whole and grate it straight from the freeezer, no stringy mess.

PS: Life is too short for peeling ginger...

Use a proper ginger grater such as: http://www.kitchenkapers.com/fisshapgingr.html

this is the one I use:
http://www.amazon.com/Foxrun-Fox-Run-Grater-Porcelain/dp/B0000VLPVW/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1267026749&sr=8-3

@sciencegeek - i think we have the same grater, cheap but good! I use the larger size wholes for grating onions instead of chopping them finely.. of course I do put on diving goggles before I start :)

I just use my box cheese grater. I used to use the side with the smaller holes but the frozen ginger came out as small frozen ginger dust that would disintegrate as soon as it was in my fingers. Now I use the regular side and it some out fine. Sometimes there is a string or two but it doesn't seem to be be extra stringy. The pieces come out a good size.

Chinese cleaver, rough chop, then smash it!

i cheat and buy huge 32 oz jars of it at the Indian grocery store

but occasionally if i want to take the time ill buy fresh and grate it, my microplane seems to work fine and does not make a stringy mess and never seems too small. I usually just peel the skin back on the whole chunk so i have something to hold onto which makes it easier, then trim off the end so its a more clean cut when im done.

I have a hand held grater that was originally for cheese its not nearly so sharp as a microplane. Also in general for the microplane I find that you have to keep it dry and decide whether to move the plane over the object or move the object over the plane. Move which ever one is lighter so you have a lot more control and ability to stop if things slip.

I chop off the skin with a knife and mince with knife or pulse in the cuisinart if I need a lot.

I always like to freeze it then grate it - I find it SO much easier!

I use my garlic scooter! (Just looked it up; it is actually called the "Chef'n Garlic Zoom.") The pieces come out a little bigger than if they were grated, but it's never made a difference in the recipes I've been using. Bonus- it's fun.

I just use a microplane grater, though not the long skinny one they sell specifically as a grater/zester. I feel like it's a bonus that the stringier bits don't go through - then I can compost them instead of eating them!

I generally try to use a bigger piece of ginger than I'm going to grate, so I always have a generous "handle."

I have to second the Ikea grater with small holes. I've been using that thing for years without any issues.

I'm in the freeze and grate on a microplane group.

I use a porcelain ginger grater, too-- it's fabulous. I got mine at Williams Sonoma: http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/ceramic-ginger-grater/

http://www.remarkablydomestic.com

I hate grating ginger so much that I just use powdered ginger :(

OK, for those of you who use a "proper" ceramic ginger grater ---
How do you get the ginger out of it? I always end up with a bunch between the nubs that I can get out.

But powdered ginger isn't going to work as a substitute in a stir fry or whatever. I like the ceramic one.

I also use the ceramic kind and if my ginger is juicy enough it seems like most of the paste will slip off. The little that remains, eh, life's too short to worry about it. But I do bother to take the 5 seconds to peel it with a potato peeler beforehand, works for me.
I more often use my microplane for grating shallot or garlic but will have to try that and the small ikea grater (pathetic that I have all these) per your suggestions.

I like my microplane - I've never had a problem with stringiness or slashed up fingers.

My friend uses the smallest side on his box grater, the side that looks like it would be good for grating hard cheeses.

I've also known people to take the whole root, skin and all, chop it into manageable chunks and puree it in a blender or food processor, and freeze the bulk of it for later use.

Everyone says they tear up their fingers doing it with their microplane but I grate ginger on it tons and I've never once hit my fingers on it.

the ginger from a microplane is more mushy bits (not the stringy part and things) so I'd think you could get the same result with a good garlic press.

Like @KeepTheCheeze I keep my ginger in the freezer and then just use one of the smaller holed sides of my box grater. It turns the ginger into a very strange frozen powder that's very easy to deal with and it's no trouble to blow through a lot of ginger very quickly that way.

Yet another voice in favour of the cheap Ikea grater.

It depends, but mostly my beloved garlic press, since it's so easy.

I'm going to try some of these other ideas too, esp freezing it. I love to get fresh garlic at the farmers' market, but I can never use it all up before it goes bad and I didn't know about freezing it.

I meant fresh ginger, but you knew that.
But I do like fresh garlic too.

My current favorite in grating ginger is to the coarse microplanes that's marketed for cheese I think. The newer versions have an attachment like you see for mandolines, so that might keep your fingers from getting chewed up.

The traditional ceramic or metal versions work okay, but if you have a stringy piece of ginger the fibers get all caught in between the nubs where as the coarse microplane is just coarse enough to cut the fibers.

Occasionally, I'll use the zesting microplaner if I want the ginger to be mushy pulp that will basically dissolve, but normally, I don't need much that fine.

@Marce, I've found the best thing is to put a piece of plastic wrap over the ceramic grater, the ginger comes right off, and it's easier to clean.

@evalnNL, I really like that idea! Thanks for the tip.

Oh Gosh....I know this is late but FREEZE THE GINGER WHOLE when you grate its a breeze! Really!! No shredding!